Could LITHIUM stop dementia? Study reveals chemical prescribed to bipolar patients could cut risk of the memory-robbing disorder

 A mood-stabilising drug given to patients with bipolar disorder may cut the risk of dementia, a study suggests. 

Lithium's supposed benefits were uncovered by Cambridge University academics who analysed nearly 30,000 mental health patients.Only 9.7 per cent of patients prescribed lithium got dementia, compared to 11.2 per cent among those not on it. 

This is despite conditions like bipolar disorder being heavily linked to an increased risk of the cruel disorder. 

Charities today said it was 'vital' that researchers follow up on the findings urgently, with no drug proven to prevent dementia. 

Dementia is the leading cause of death in the UK, robbing 900,000 Britons of their memories.

Nearly 5milion people in the US are also living with the disorder, which academics have spent decades trying to eradicate. 

Numerous other scientific papers have pinpointed lithium as a promising substance in the search for ways to combat the memory-robbing condition.  

Lithium is naturally found in vegetables, grains and, at very low concentrations, in the water supply. 

UK scientists have found patients prescribed the mood-stabilising medication lithium had lower rate of dementia diagnosis than other patients despite having an increased risk of developing the memory-robbing disorder. This could open the door to further trials to see if the metal could help reduce dementia riskAt much higher levels, it is sometimes prescribed on the NHS as a treatment for a variety of mood disorders, such as mania, depression, and bipolar.

Scientists examined the medical records of 29,618 over-50s who accessed mental health services at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.

None of the participants — who were followed for up to 14 years — had either mild cognitive impairment or dementia when the study began. 

Around 550 patients had been prescribed lithium, allowing the experts to compare whether the drug lowered the risk of dementia. 

Results were published in the journal Plos Medicine.

Lead author of the study Dr Shanquan Chen said the finding was unexpected, given people with bipolar disorder have been found to be more at risk of dementia.

'It’s far too early to say for sure, but it’s possible that lithium might reduce the risk of dementia in people with bipolar disorder,' he said.

But the study was only small, and bigger experiments are needed to piece together any link.   

Dr Sara Imarisio, from Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: 'There is a desperate need for new dementia treatments.

'Where there is evidence an existing, widely used, relatively safe and inexpensive drug could help, it is vital researchers follow up on this as quickly as possible.'

Medics are unsure exactly how the metal could have a protective effect. 

Some have suggested lithium could inhibit enzymes responsible for the formation of the toxic proteins that build up in the brain from Alzheimer’s disease and cause brain cells to die.  

It comes after a study of 800,000 people in Denmark in 2017 found those who drank water with a high concentration of the metal were 17 per cent less likely to have dementia.

However, the results were not clear cut with people in the middle exposure bracket 22 per cent more likely to have dementia than the low exposure group.

Some experts have said when it comes to drinking water, other elements like calcium could be playing a role.

Lithium medication should only be taken on prescription as the dosage is unique to each patient. Taking too much can cause potentially life threatening problems with organs like the kidneys.