A new look at an old drug: neuroprotective effects and therapeutic potentials of lithium salts

Liliana Dell’Osso, Claudia Del Grande, Camilla Gesi, Claudia Carmassi, Laura Musetti Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy Abstract: Increasing evidence highlights bipolar disorder as being associated with impaired neurogenesis, cellular pl...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Dell'Osso L, Del Grande C, Gesi C, Carmassi C, Musetti L
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2016-07-01
Series:Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/a-new-look-at-an-old-drug-neuroprotective-effects-and-therapeutic-pote-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDT
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850157076973617152
author Dell'Osso L
Del Grande C
Gesi C
Carmassi C
Musetti L
author_facet Dell'Osso L
Del Grande C
Gesi C
Carmassi C
Musetti L
author_sort Dell'Osso L
collection DOAJ
description Liliana Dell’Osso, Claudia Del Grande, Camilla Gesi, Claudia Carmassi, Laura Musetti Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy Abstract: Increasing evidence highlights bipolar disorder as being associated with impaired neurogenesis, cellular plasticity, and resiliency, as well as with cell atrophy or loss in specific brain regions. This has led most recent research to focus on the possible neuroprotective effects of medications, and particularly interesting findings have emerged for lithium. A growing body of evidence from preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies has in fact documented its neuroprotective effects from different insults acting on cellular signaling pathways, both preventing apoptosis and increasing neurotrophins and cell-survival molecules. Furthermore, positive effects of lithium on neurogenesis, brain remodeling, angiogenesis, mesenchymal stem cells functioning, and inflammation have been revealed, with a key role played through the inhibition of the glycogen synthase kinase-3, a serine/threonine kinase implicated in the pathogenesis of many neuropsychiatric disorders. These recent evidences suggest the potential utility of lithium in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, neurodevelopmental disorders, and hypoxic–ischemic/traumatic brain injury, with positive results at even lower lithium doses than those traditionally considered to be antimanic. The aim of this review is to briefly summarize the potential benefits of lithium salts on neuroprotection and neuroregeneration, emphasizing preclinical and clinical evidence suggesting new therapeutic potentials of this drug beyond its mood stabilizing properties. Keywords: bipolar disorder, GSK-3, neurodegeneration, neurogenesis, neurodevelopmental disorders
format Article
id doaj-art-2bec7efe69ea4ab395e73df4b43aac06
institution OA Journals
issn 1178-2021
language English
publishDate 2016-07-01
publisher Dove Medical Press
record_format Article
series Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
spelling doaj-art-2bec7efe69ea4ab395e73df4b43aac062025-08-20T02:24:17ZengDove Medical PressNeuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment1178-20212016-07-01Volume 12Issue 11687170327831A new look at an old drug: neuroprotective effects and therapeutic potentials of lithium saltsDell'Osso L0Del Grande CGesi CCarmassi C1Musetti LClinical and Experimental Medicine-Section of PsychiatryDepartment of Clinical and Experimental MedicineLiliana Dell’Osso, Claudia Del Grande, Camilla Gesi, Claudia Carmassi, Laura Musetti Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy Abstract: Increasing evidence highlights bipolar disorder as being associated with impaired neurogenesis, cellular plasticity, and resiliency, as well as with cell atrophy or loss in specific brain regions. This has led most recent research to focus on the possible neuroprotective effects of medications, and particularly interesting findings have emerged for lithium. A growing body of evidence from preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies has in fact documented its neuroprotective effects from different insults acting on cellular signaling pathways, both preventing apoptosis and increasing neurotrophins and cell-survival molecules. Furthermore, positive effects of lithium on neurogenesis, brain remodeling, angiogenesis, mesenchymal stem cells functioning, and inflammation have been revealed, with a key role played through the inhibition of the glycogen synthase kinase-3, a serine/threonine kinase implicated in the pathogenesis of many neuropsychiatric disorders. These recent evidences suggest the potential utility of lithium in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, neurodevelopmental disorders, and hypoxic–ischemic/traumatic brain injury, with positive results at even lower lithium doses than those traditionally considered to be antimanic. The aim of this review is to briefly summarize the potential benefits of lithium salts on neuroprotection and neuroregeneration, emphasizing preclinical and clinical evidence suggesting new therapeutic potentials of this drug beyond its mood stabilizing properties. Keywords: bipolar disorder, GSK-3, neurodegeneration, neurogenesis, neurodevelopmental disordershttps://www.dovepress.com/a-new-look-at-an-old-drug-neuroprotective-effects-and-therapeutic-pote-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDTLithiumBipolar Affective DisorderGSK-3NeurodegenerationNeurogenesis.
spellingShingle Dell'Osso L
Del Grande C
Gesi C
Carmassi C
Musetti L
A new look at an old drug: neuroprotective effects and therapeutic potentials of lithium salts
Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
Lithium
Bipolar Affective Disorder
GSK-3
Neurodegeneration
Neurogenesis.
title A new look at an old drug: neuroprotective effects and therapeutic potentials of lithium salts
title_full A new look at an old drug: neuroprotective effects and therapeutic potentials of lithium salts
title_fullStr A new look at an old drug: neuroprotective effects and therapeutic potentials of lithium salts
title_full_unstemmed A new look at an old drug: neuroprotective effects and therapeutic potentials of lithium salts
title_short A new look at an old drug: neuroprotective effects and therapeutic potentials of lithium salts
title_sort new look at an old drug neuroprotective effects and therapeutic potentials of lithium salts
topic Lithium
Bipolar Affective Disorder
GSK-3
Neurodegeneration
Neurogenesis.
url https://www.dovepress.com/a-new-look-at-an-old-drug-neuroprotective-effects-and-therapeutic-pote-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDT
work_keys_str_mv AT dellossol anewlookatanolddrugneuroprotectiveeffectsandtherapeuticpotentialsoflithiumsalts
AT delgrandec anewlookatanolddrugneuroprotectiveeffectsandtherapeuticpotentialsoflithiumsalts
AT gesic anewlookatanolddrugneuroprotectiveeffectsandtherapeuticpotentialsoflithiumsalts
AT carmassic anewlookatanolddrugneuroprotectiveeffectsandtherapeuticpotentialsoflithiumsalts
AT musettil anewlookatanolddrugneuroprotectiveeffectsandtherapeuticpotentialsoflithiumsalts
AT dellossol newlookatanolddrugneuroprotectiveeffectsandtherapeuticpotentialsoflithiumsalts
AT delgrandec newlookatanolddrugneuroprotectiveeffectsandtherapeuticpotentialsoflithiumsalts
AT gesic newlookatanolddrugneuroprotectiveeffectsandtherapeuticpotentialsoflithiumsalts
AT carmassic newlookatanolddrugneuroprotectiveeffectsandtherapeuticpotentialsoflithiumsalts
AT musettil newlookatanolddrugneuroprotectiveeffectsandtherapeuticpotentialsoflithiumsalts