Low-Dose Lithium for the Treatment of Behavioral Symptoms in Frontotemporal Dementia
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2023-03-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a progressive neurodegenerative illness that affects the
frontal and anterior temporal lobes of the brain. Changes in behavior, including agitation,
aggression, and repetitive behaviors, are common symptoms in FTD. The investigators currently
do not have good medications to treat these symptoms in FTD, and the medications the
investigators use often have side effects. In this project, the investigators will test the
use of low-dose lithium, compared to a placebo pill, for the treatment of behavioral symptoms
in FTD. Lithium greatly reduces the behavioral symptoms of bipolar disorder, and many have
found low-dose lithium to be well-tolerated in patients with dementia. Lithium appears to
inhibit the creation of a protein involved in many cases of FTD called tau.
Phase:
Phase 2
Details
Lead Sponsor:
Columbia University Johns Hopkins University
Collaborators:
Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation Columbia University