Ask the Doc: Q & A with Edward Kasarskis, MD, PhD 

Dr. Kasarskis

Edward Kasarskis, MD, PhD is Director of the University of Kentucky ALS Multidisciplinary Clinic at Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, professor in the Department of Neurology at the University of Kentucky, and Chief of Neurology at the VA Medical Center in Lexington KY. 

Q:  I’ve recently been diagnosed with ALS. Should I be taking lithium?

Dr. Kasarskis: I would encourage you to get into a clinical trial on lithium and be a part of testing its safety and effectiveness. 

Lithium has been around a long time used as a treatment for bipolar affective disorder -- but we don’t know if it will specifically benefit people with ALS. The original study, done in Italy, was flawed. The ALS Association and several funding partners are supporting a major clinical trial to determine if lithium can slow disease progression in patients with ALS. The new study will be placebo-controlled and double blinded (which means neither patients nor physicians know who will be getting Lithium and who will be getting a placebo). The results of that effort should give us an answer if lithium is effective and safe.

However, if you can’t participate in a clinical study on Lithium, deciding to take the drug without waiting for the results of the study is a personal choice you should make with your physician. Until we know more, we cannot be certain if the drug will offer a benefit, do nothing at all, or even do harm.

Each issue we feature a leading neurologist specializing in ALS responding to a question. If you would like to submit questions for a future Q & A, please send your questions to Amber Walters. Please understand that we won’t be able to address all questions and we won’t be able to respond to individuals personally.