Lithium in Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM)

IBM is the most common acquired muscle disease occurring over the age of 50. The underlying cause remains unknown and there is currently no effective treatment. Pathological studies have revealed abnormal collections of proteins in the muscle cells from patients with IBM. These include proteins called phosphorylated tau (p-tau). A similar process appears to occur in Alzheimer disease, with accumulations of p-tau developing in brain cells. Lithium decreases the activity of the GSK, an enzyme that has a key role in the development of p-tau. Lithium and other GSK inhibitors have been shown to decrease the accumulation of p-tau in nerve cells in animal models of Alzheimer disease. The proposed research is a pilot study to see if lithium might be an effective treatment for IBM