X-Message-Number: 9341
Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 03:33:07
From: "David C. Harris" <>
Subject: Testing lithium as neural preservative

Kevin Brown's suggestion about pre-administered lithium protecting brain
cells from glutamate/NMDA/calcium cascade may be ethically testable via
some literature searching or records review.

First, how does the cell soaking concentration used in the Chuang research
compare to the blood concentration at which lithium is toxic when used for
routine treatment of Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depressive condition)?  

Second, does the administration of lithium alter the death rates for groups
of people taking it vs. (matched?) controls?

Second, if one looks at people who have suffered life threatening hypoxia
injuries such as drowning, hypothermia?, suffocation, carbon monoxide
poisoning, etc., one can identify those who died and those who were
resuscitated successfully.  It is also possible to determine, for every
person in the dead and survivor groups, from their medical records, whether
they were taking lithium when they experienced the injury.  Do those who
are on lithium have a higher rate of hypoxia survival?

Of course there is at least one potentially confusing factor: lithium
taking persons are usually bipolar persons, who are often suffering from
depression that slows the nervous system in a broad way.  Perhaps they are
more prone to accidents or poorer swimmers or such.

I'd appreciate a note from anyone who is interested in studying these
issues. I'm not able to conduct this research myself, at this time.


>Message #9321
>Date: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 00:30:36 -0500 (EST)
>From: "Kevin Q. Brown" <>
>Subject: Lithium Reduces Ischemic Injury?
>
>Page 165 of the March 14, 1998 issue of Science News has the article:
>    "Stimulating clue hints how lithium works"
>
>Of interest to cryonicists:
>
>  "... Chuang and his colleagues have found that lithium protects
>   brain cells from being stimulated to death by glutamate, one
>   of the many chemicals that transmit messages in the brain."
>
>and:
>
>  "Normally, activation of the NMDA receptor by glutamate triggers
>   an influx of calcium ions, setting off a signalling cascade
>   inside cells.  However, cells soaked in lithium for a week let
>   in far less calcium when exposed to glutamate."
>
>Current cryopreservation procedures apply numerous drugs, _after_
>pronouncement of death, for reducing ischemic injury due to this
>glutamate / NMDA receptor cascade.  Should a week or more of
>PRE-mortem treatment with Lithium be part of the protocol for
>terminal cryonics patients?
>
>    Kevin Q. Brown
>    

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