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Old drug, new hope: lithium tested to stop Alzheimer's before it starts

NCT ID NCT03185208

Prevention Sponsor: Ariel Gildengers, MD Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study tested whether lithium, a drug used for mood disorders, can prevent Alzheimer's dementia in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). 83 participants took either lithium or a placebo for a period, and researchers measured memory, thinking skills, and brain changes. The goal was to see if lithium could slow or stop the progression to dementia.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Lithium Carbonate
What this could lead to
If successful, this could point toward a way to slow or prevent Alzheimer's dementia in people with early memory problems.
What could go wrong
This is a small, completed phase 4 trial. Lithium has side effects and may not show clear benefits. Results may not apply to everyone.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 4

Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.

Participants

83 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Feb 2018

Finished

Aug 2024

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

60 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. 60 years or older 2. Diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment Exclusion Criteria: 1. Major psychiatric illness (mild psychiatric illness may be included) 2. Major neurologic illness (e.g., multiple sclerosis) 3. Contraindication to lithium (e.g., renal insufficiency) 4. Unable to complete neuropsychological testing due to non-remediable impairment (e.g., blindness)

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Cognitive Dysfunction dementia Pick disease Plaque, Amyloid Alzheimer disease prevention target

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Mild cognitive impairment

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.