Lithium and Alzheimer’s
Many of us have had first hand experience with dementia and Alzheimer’s. There are few things more stressful and heart wrenching than having a loved one suffer with these diseases. A close friend shared with me a research paper that links Alzheimer’s with lithium – or the lack thereof. The article, from the Harvard Medical School, “Could Lithium Explain — and Treat — Alzheimer’s Disease?” explains that lithium depleted brains have a higher likelihood of Alzheimer’s. It conversely finds that “A new class of lithium-based compounds avoids plaque binding and reverses Alzheimer’s and brain aging in mice, without toxicity.”
https://hms.harvard.edu/news/could-lithium-explain-treat-alzheimers-disease
The paper detailing the findings are in Nature and was one of the most exciting articles that I have read recently.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09335-x
What is especially important is the observation that the common weed killer glyphosate – known commercially as Roundup – depletes lithium from the soil.
This is absolutely stunning. We all know the well documented hazards associated with Roundup. But those hazards have been concentrated on cancer. The finding that glyphosate deletes lithium from the soil means that the incidence of Alzheimer’s increases given lithium depletion. This is important stuff. This makes a compelling argument that all glyphosate products worldwide should be banned from agriculture. Of course, there would likely be some unforeseen consequence to doing so. But surely there must be less toxic means of weed control.
Although the tests were conducted on mice, testing humans would be a simple matter. All you would have to do is to have two test groups of people to compare the incidence of Alzheimer’s in people who eat only organic produce and meat products free from pesticides versus the rest of us. Wouldn’t that be the same as using the control groups of mice? Also theres would be an obvious treatment for Alzheimer’s which would be to change people’s diets. No meds needed.
The top panels are a lithium depleted brain with Alzheimer’s. The bottom panels are from a brain with lithium and no Alzheimer’s.
haroldblackphd.com 
OK , if I contributed a thought to this, it would no doubt be disruptive . I wait to see what your science readers contribute to a discussion…
But I do know that when AFB president Duvall met with President Trump, one of the things emphasized is that farm families live where pesticides are used- and farmers are open to research, based on taking care of their own ( directly- affected) children. So farmers want to be part of the MAHA initiative….
Also I saw a lot about mice in today’s essay/ links….
For just info , # 9 and #10 of 10, suggested by Am. Farm Bureau, as a MAHA research initiative:
“…9. Alternative testing models:
Invest in new approach methodologies (NAMs), such as organ-on-a-chip, micro physiological systems and computational biology, to complement animal testing with more predictive human-relevant models.
10. Precision toxicology: Launch a national initiative to map gene-environment interactions affecting childhood disease risk, especially for pollutants, endocrine disruptors and pharmaceuticals…”
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Larry, I don’t mind disruption. To me this is personal. Roundup has been linked to all sorts of diseases and cancers and now Alzheimer’s. There has got to be a tradeoff between agriculture production and health. But where is that line?
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I’ve seen a line crossed. And that gets my attention…
Duvall- known as Zippy- has been a Trump soldier FOR SO LONG. Yet there is a change in his wording..
While he says he has confidence in Trump, his quote in TN Farm Bureau saying Trump will support farmers and urge him to bring…”sound science, not emotionally charged rhetoric…” is implying that that is exactly what will happen..
Zippy already notes tariffs are already affecting farmers, due to buying global supplies. What if Trump goes 0% tariff on destructive Russian pesticides- and that’s what farmers can afford..
..”It is deeply troubling for the White House to endorse( MAHA, which blames children’s health decline on agricultural tools)..”
I think this is making farmers feel VULNERABLE. For retribution.
TN Farm Bureau News 6/25
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