[Conductor71]

I just had to re-read this one. Wonder if there is a lower prevalence of PD in people with bi-polar disorder who are treated with Lithium? Did 7 Up drinkers have a lower rate of PD (yes, 7 Up had lithium citrate in it until 1950)?

Anyway, said article claims it stops protein aggregation...beats a shot (vaccine). Of course this entire claim is based on a mouse model of PD.

Lithium Profoundly Prevents Brain Damage Associated With Parkinson's

For those not wanting to ride out the next ten years with an FDA "Fast Track" here are the White Rat guidelines:

An internet search reveals stories from PD patients who are using lithium "off label" as part of their treatment regime; others report benefits from low dose lithium salts which are available as a supplement in some health food stores. "This finding gives us an opportunity to explore lithium as a recognized therapeutic for PD, in doses that are safe and effective" said Andersen.


Original article abstract: Journal of Neuroscience Research

hmmm...can't find out but found some other goodies posted after this

[Conductor71]

I looked in vain (or so I thought) for the original article re: above post and stumbled across this gem from 1982...

Six patients with severe parkinsonism complicated by the “on-off” phenomenon were treated with lithium carbonate in addition to regular antiparkinsonian medications. A randomized double-blind crossover trial of lithium versus placebo was conducted, followed by an open trial of lithium therapy. Five patients had marked reductions in akinesia (mean, 70%) and improved by one grade in parkinson staging. This result was more striking in male than in female patients, and in all responders benefit has been maintained during the open phase of lithium treatment (mean follow-up of 36 weeks). In no patient was reduction in akinesia observed during placebo treatment. Lithium carbonate appears to offer a new and potentially effective approach to treatment of the on-off phenomenon.

Seriously...this helps freezing and takes one grade off PD staging. No apparent loss of benefit? Can DBS boast of these results?

This is why we end up testing on ourselves. How sad that with all our emphasis on "Evidence Based Medicine" this kind of research goes un-mined
when it could be benefitting a lot of people.

Also begs the question as to why they are starting over in a mouse-model? Why has no one ever bothered to look into why men benefit more than women with the treatment?

Laura

[Ronhutton]

Hi Laura,
Looks interesting. See article published only yesterday!!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/85...arkinsons.html

"Health
Lithium - a new weapon in the fight against Parkinson's?

Lithium "profoundly prevents" brain damage due to Parkinson's disease, according to early-stage tests of the commonly-used medicine"

Ron

PS See also
http://www.barchester.com/Healthcare...'/376/4536

[ol'cs]

it could be the antidepressant effects of Lithium, or some down the line g-coupled protein interacting with some other cellular repair mechanism of modified "things happening inside D cells, anabolic effects marked. stimulaetd by the Lithium ions. i dunno, all i can say is that i take a potassium supplement.this is a white rat experiment to see if i notice any difference in my condition by altering cytosol electrolyte concentrations, and analyse to see any really perceptive positive effects ionic imbalances have an effect of any kind.

[johnt]

According to
http://www.collectivewizdom.com/Lith...RichFoods.html

milk, eggs and tomatoes are high in lithium.

An Indian study
http://www.jpgmonline.com/article.as...;aulast=Jathar

found the highest levels in tobacco, which is interesting given the negative correlation between smoking and PD.

John

[Lexiegirl]

Very interesting information about tobacco - I was at a PD conference 2 years ago and the keynote speaker was Dr. Langston, MD. He said that people that smoke normally don't get PD and then asked us all to raise our hands if we currently or ever did smoke. In a room of about 200 PWP not one person raised their hands. This is obviously not meant to encourage us to smoke, but if tobacco has a high concentration of lithium in it...it makes sense, based on these new studies.

Lexie

[lindylanka]

Lexiegirl,

If I had have been there I would have been the sole ex smoker then! I smoked for 15 years, probably around 20 a day, and it was after giving up smoking that I started to develop PD symptoms, and spent around 7 years trying to find out what was the matter with me. Interestingly I went to a rally recently, here in the UK, protesting about welfare cuts to disabled people, and through our UK parkinsons org met a person from Wales who had the same experience as me. She had given up smoking, expecting to feel a lot better, but deteriorated instead.....

You might ask then why I did not resume smoking - simple, I had a young child, and I was shocked into giving up by contracting serious pneumonia. And of course it is not a socially acceptable thing now....... I do not miss it.

The same person shared another experience with me. We had both done a considerable amount of Tai Chi, and enjoyed it greatly, but had noted prior to diagnosis and treatment that practicing the main 'form' and chi exercises we had lost the ability to feel 'energy'. This is a difficult concept for those who have not studied anergy work at all, but there is an indubitable 'flow' that occurs when practicing. I have since treatment regained this ability, but cannot say that it is there with anything near the level prior to PD.

Acupuncturists I know say that PD is intractable to work with, and it is very difficult to establish 'flow' too. But I digress - don't want to hijack this thread which is about lithium really, and very interesting.....

Lindy

[villiers]

Hi

I had posted before the Nicotine transdermal patch protocol for Parkinson patients which is given after some exams at Lionel Vidart public hospital by Pr Villafane

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...tine+parkinson

I am in my 6th months (14 mg ) and i have improved ,especially in my balance and walking dramatically

i have no sides effect,sleep is good even better ,i only have 2 or 3 shorts nights when i have to higher the dose every 2 months

i have been very interested by the topic on lithium and started 1 week ago to take low dose lithium (125 mg /day )

what is quite interesting is that lithium improves nicotine sensibility .

[cochrankat]

Hi Villiers,

If you don't mind, can you tell what meds you are taking besides lithium? Hope you'll keep us posted on the effects of lithium.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by villiers

Hi

I had posted before the Nicotine transdermal patch protocol for Parkinson patients which is given after some exams at Lionel Vidart public hospital by Pr Villafane

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...tine+parkinson

I am in my 6th months (14 mg ) and i have improved ,especially in my balance and walking dramatically

i have no sides effect,sleep is good even better ,i only have 2 or 3 shorts nights when i have to higher the dose every 2 months

i have been very interested by the topic on lithium and started 1 week ago to take low dose lithium (125 mg /day )

what is quite interesting is that lithium improves nicotine sensibility .

[Freddie]

Lithium has neuro protective properties. This has been known for quite a while but is not in big pharma's interest to follow up. But Lithium Orotate, a low, safe dose is availble. It is natural lithium in a B13 carrier and used by naturopaths for many neuro/psychiatric problems to great effect. Much less is needed than the pharmaceutical variety, it is a lot safer and reaches its goal in the brain more effectively.