Importance of vitamin B12 is being revisited
after long years of criticism and hostility.
Not a 'tsunami' effect like with vitamin D,
only a correct re-evaluation of its qualities.
This is one of many recent positive reports:
Vitamin B12, folic acid, and the nervous system.
Reynolds E.
Institute of Epileptology, King's College, Denmark Hill Campus, Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 6PJ, UK. reynolds@buckles.u-net.com
There are many reasons for reviewing the neurology of vitamin-B12 and folic-acid deficiencies together, including the intimate relation between the metabolism of the two vitamins, their morphologically indistinguishable megaloblastic anaemias, and their overlapping neuropsychiatric syndromes and neuropathology, including their related inborn errors of metabolism. Folates and vitamin B12 have fundamental roles in CNS function at all ages, especially the methionine-synthase mediated conversion of homocysteine to methionine, which is essential for nucleotide synthesis and genomic and non-genomic methylation. Folic acid and vitamin B12 may have roles in the prevention of disorders of CNS development, mood disorders, and dementias, including Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia in elderly people.
Lancet Neurol. 2006 Nov;5(11):949-60.
Preventing Age-Related Cognitive Decline
By Laurie Barclay, MD
...
Replacement of B vitamins in deficient individuals often improves short-term memory and language skills. Elderly subjects who are low in folic acid show impairment in both word recall and object recall, suggesting a vital role for folic acid in memory function in later life. Memory impairment in the elderly related to vitamin B12 deficiency can be reversed by vitamin B12 injections or supplements.
High doses of vitamin B6 and folate reduce blood levels of homocysteine, a toxic buildup product linked to heart disease and cognitive impairment. In dementia patients with even mild deficiencies of vitamin B12 or folate, replacement can improve cognition, especially in those with elevated blood homocysteine levels. In a study of 76 elderly males, vitamin B6 was better than placebo in improving long-term information storage and retrieval.
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Life Extension Magazine - April 2005 http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2005/apr2005_cover_cognitive_02.htm
Whether our elderly relatives need vitamin B12 or not,
to keep their brain in good shape is still a matter of
debate. Negative reports prevailed in the past, now
times are changing a bit.
This is a positive report from Israel.
I find it sharp and encouraging indeed...
If only a few patients respond to a treatment, we have
to identify their 'size and shape', instead of throwing
the whole research in the garbage bin.
Neuropsychology of vitamin B12 deficiency in elderly dementia patients and control subjects.
Osimani A, Berger A, Friedman J, Porat-Katz BS, Abarbanel JM.Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, Israel and the Department of Behavioral Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
Cobalamin deficiency may cause cognitive deficits and even dementia. In Alzheimer's disease, the most frequent cause of dementia in elderly persons, low serum levels of vitamin B12, may be misleading. The aim of this work was to characterize the cognitive pattern of B12 deficiency and to compare it with that of Alzheimer's disease. Nineteen patients with low levels of vitamin B12 were neuropsychologically evaluated before treatment and a year later. Results were compared with those of 10 healthy control subjects. Final results suggest that there is a different pattern in both diseases. Twelve elderly patients with dementia improved with treatment. Seven elderly demented patients did not improve; they deteriorated after 1 year although their levels of cobalamin were normal. Analysis of the initial evaluation showed that the 2 groups of patients had a different neuropsychological profile. The group that improved had initially more psychotic problems and more deficits in concentration, visuospatial performance, and executive functions. They did not show language problems and ideomotor apraxia, which were present in the second group. Their memory pattern was also different. These findings suggest that cobalamin deficiency may cause a reversible dementia in elderly patients. This dementia may be differentiated from that of Alzheimer's disease by a thorough neuropsychological evaluation.
J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol. 2005 Mar;18(1):33-8.
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