{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,14]],"date-time":"2026-09-14T13:09:09Z","timestamp":1789391349078,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":121,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]],"date-time":"2026-07-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784505600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Biomolecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Glaucoma is a major global health concern, identified as the foremost cause of irreversible blindness, affecting nearly 95 million individuals. It is characterized by the progressive degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), leading to significant vision-related disabilities and an extensive socio-economic impact. The concept that glaucoma should be viewed not solely as an ocular condition but also as a neurodegenerative disorder, sharing pathophysiological features with diseases like Alzheimer\u2019s and Parkinson\u2019s, is now widely accepted. This review examines the convergence of molecular mechanisms, including the roles of amyloid precursor proteins and neuroinflammation, that contribute to RGC loss. Notably, lithium, traditionally used as a mood stabilizer, has emerged as a potential neuroprotective agent for the treatment of Alzheimer\u2019s disease. In light of the common neurodegenerative mechanisms linking glaucoma with central neurodegenerative diseases, here, we review the current evidence supporting lithium\u2019s therapeutic potential in glaucoma, emphasizing the need for further clinical studies to determine its effectiveness in preserving optic nerve health and improving patient outcomes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/biom16071062","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,21]],"date-time":"2026-07-21T08:14:27Z","timestamp":1784621667000},"page":"1062","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Lithium as a Potential Neuroprotective Strategy in Glaucoma: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Perspectives"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3725-8211","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alessio","family":"Martucci","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome \u201cTor Vergata\u201d, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giulia","family":"Napoleoni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome \u201cTor Vergata\u201d, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1869-2642","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Annagrazia","family":"Adornetto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Section of Preclinical and Translational Pharmacology, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Francesco","family":"Aiello","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome \u201cTor Vergata\u201d, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Raffaele","family":"Mancino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome \u201cTor Vergata\u201d, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Massimo","family":"Cesareo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome \u201cTor Vergata\u201d, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8540-6218","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giacinto","family":"Bagetta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Section of Preclinical and Translational Pharmacology, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Carlo","family":"Nucci","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome \u201cTor Vergata\u201d, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9514-6472","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Enrico","family":"Romano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8758-6523","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rossella","family":"Russo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Section of Preclinical and Translational Pharmacology, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1114","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ophtha.2025.06.002","article-title":"Prevalence of Glaucoma in Europe and Projections to 2050","volume":"132","author":"Stuart","year":"2025","journal-title":"Ophthalmology"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S22","DOI":"10.1097\/WNO.0000000000000293","article-title":"Glaucoma as a Neurodegenerative Disease","volume":"35","author":"Levin","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. 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