Researchers at Harvard Medical School in Boston say that, based on a study in mice, lithium could someday help treat Alzheimer's disease .

The research team found that lithium naturally appears in the human brain and it has a protective effect, shielding the brain from memory-robbing harm. The researchers found the loss of lithium in the brain could be the first signs of Alzheimer's in a patient.

About 7 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease.

The Harvard team found that lab mice saw improvement in memory when their lithium levels were restored after being withheld.

According to the researchers, that suggests that, one day, lithium could be used to treat Alzheimer's in humans. It's already used to treat people with bipolar disorder.

"I think these new findings sug

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