Lithium Enhances Axonal Regeneration in Peripheral Nerve by Inhibiting Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3𝛽Activation

This study investigates the potential of lithium in treating brachial plexus injury, specifically root avulsion, which often leads to permanent paralysis. The research demonstrates that root avulsion triggers the activation of GSK-3β in injured motoneurons, and lithium treatment can suppress this activation. By inhibiting GSK-3β, lithium promotes axonal regeneration from the central nervous system (CNS) to the peripheral nervous system (PNS), suggesting a potential therapeutic role for lithium in nerve regeneration.

• 1
  Root avulsion injury triggers GSK-3β activation in the injured motoneurons and remaining axons in the ventral funiculus.
• 2
  Systemic application of lithium suppresses activated GSK-3β in the lesioned spinal cord to the normal level.
• 3
  Lithium treatment leads to a dramatic increase in the number of FG-positive neurons present in the C7 ventral horn.