Low-Dose Lithium for Mild Cognitive Impairment

Can low-dose lithium treatment delay cognitive decline in older adults with mild cognitive impairment?In this pilot randomized clinical trial of 80 participants, none of the 6 coprimary outcomes reached the prespecified significance threshold; for verbal memory, scores declined by 1.42 points annually in the placebo group vs 0.73 points in the lithium group, which did not meet the prespecified threshold for multiple comparisons. Exploratory analyses suggested possible larger effects among amyloid-positive participants.This pilot trial provides effect size estimates and methodological insights to inform adequately powered confirmatory trials of low-dose lithium in older adults with amyloid-positive mild cognitive impairment.

Corresponding Author: Ariel G. Gildengers, MD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O’Hara St, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (ariel.gildengers@pitt.edu).

Link to the article in your story

We encourage you to link out to this article in your story using the link below. It includes an access token that will give free access to the article for your readers up to one year after publication. (The link will be live after the article publishes and embargo is lifted.)

Please see the article for additional information, including full author list, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

Need more information? Contact us.