Depression drug lithium may have potential for Parkinson's
27 June 2011
Early stage research using mice, published this weekend in the
Journal
of Neuroscience Research, suggests that lithium may have
potential for treating Parkinson's.
These early results need to be explored further before lithium can be tested in people with Parkinson's.
Dr Kieran Breen, Director of Research
Lithium is a potent drug that is used to treat mood disorders,
like depression and bipolar disorder. It has been around for over
50 years.
What does this research study show?
Researchers at the Buck Institute for Ageing in San Francisco
(USA) studied the effects of lithium on the nerve cells
affected in Parkinson's - first at close quarters in the petri
dish and then in a mouse model of the condition.
People with Parkinson's don’t have enough of a chemical called
dopamine because some nerve cells in their brain have died.
Sticky clumps of proteins called Lewy bodies form inside these
nerve cells and are thought to be involved in nerve cell death.
In this study, low doses of lithium were able to prevent Lewy
bodies forming, protecting the nerve cells from toxic damage and
death.
Lithium – a new treatment for Parkinson's?
Dr Kieran Breen,
our Director of Research and Development (pictured right)
comments:
"This interesting research offers hope that an existing
treatment, lithium, may also be beneficial for people with
Parkinson's.
"The results show that it may decrease the death of nerve cells
and therefore be protective.
"However, these early results need to be explored further before
lithium can be tested in people with Parkinson's.
"Lithium is a drug that is widely used in the treatment of
bipolar disorder. So, if the findings can be replicated, it could
mean that an existing drug could be useful for treating
Parkinson's.
“Investigating drugs that are already used for other conditions
is proving to be a fruitful area for Parkinson's. These drugs are
already proven to be safe so they can move through to testing
quicker.
"Another exciting example is the diabetes drug exenatide which
is now being tested in people with
Parkinson's following early studies funded by Parkinson's
UK."
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