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Low-Dose Lithium for Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial
Gildengers AG, Ibrahim TS, Anderson SJ, Emanuel JE, Santini T, Diaz JL, Lopresti BJ, Royse SK et al.. JAMA neurology, 2026-04-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Results Among 80 participants (mean [SD] age, lithium: 72.93 [8.77] years; placebo: 71.22 [6.47] years; 56% female), none of the 6 coprimary outcomes met the prespecified significance threshold. Hippocampal and cortical volumes showed a decline over time in both groups, but no significant treatment × time interactions.
Key findings
- Results Among 80 participants (mean [SD] age, lithium: 72.93 [8.77] years; placebo: 71.22 [6.47] years; 56% female), none of the 6 coprimary outcomes met the prespecified significance threshold.
- Hippocampal and cortical volumes showed a decline over time in both groups, but no significant treatment × time interactions.
Why it matters
In this 80-person pilot trial, low-dose lithium did not significantly affect any of the six main outcomes, and brain volumes declined in both groups. It provides no evidence that lithium treats or prevents cognitive impairment.
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Study details
- Participants170
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 72/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a randomised controlled trial. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (JAMA neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | JAMA Neurology: journal h-index 235 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomised controlled trial (from PubMed type “Randomized Controlled Trial”) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 170 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 16 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 8.0 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | 6 / 6 | Cited 75.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 16 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Meryl A. Butters: h-index 74 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Duke University: institution h-index 1,541 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41770546) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 72 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2026.0072
- PubMed: 41770546
- Original source →
- Free full text: JAMA Neurology →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Gildengers, A. G., Ibrahim, T. S., Anderson, S. J., Emanuel, J. E., Santini, T., Diaz, J. L., et al. (2026). Low-Dose Lithium for Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA neurology. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2026.0072
Vancouver
Gildengers AG, Ibrahim TS, Anderson SJ, Emanuel JE, Santini T, Diaz JL, et al. Low-Dose Lithium for Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA neurology. 2026. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2026.0072. PMID: 41770546.
BibTeX
@article{gildengers2026-41770546,
author = {Gildengers, A. G. and Ibrahim, T. S. and Anderson, S. J. and Emanuel, J. E. and Santini, T. and Diaz, J. L. and Lopresti, B. J. and Royse, S. K. and others},
title = {{Low-Dose Lithium for Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial}},
journal = {JAMA neurology},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1001/jamaneurol.2026.0072},
pmid = {41770546},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2026.0072}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.