NOVATO, Calif., Oct. 31 (UPI) -- A U.S. study has determined lithium -- a drug commonly used to treat bipolar disorder -- can significantly increase the lifespan of nematode worms.
Researchers at the Buck Institute said worms treated with lithium showed a 46 percent increase in lifespan, raising the question of whether humans taking the mood affecting drug are also taking an anti-aging medication.
Lithium has been used for decades to treat mood affective disorders, including bipolar disease. Although the drug has been shown to protect neurons, the underlying mechanism of its therapeutic action isn't understood. In humans, lithium’s therapeutic range is very limited and the drug has serious side effects.
In the study, scientists discovered the worms' longevity increased when the lithium reduced the activity of a gene that modulates the basic structure of chromosomes.
"Understanding the genetic impact of lithium may allow us to engineer a therapy that has the same lifespan extending benefits," said lead researcher Gordon Lithgow. "One of the larger questions is whether the lifespan extending benefits of the drug are directly related to the fact that lithium protects neurons."
The research is reported in the online edition of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
