Vitamin B12 supplementation resulted in improved cognitive function. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Influences of Vitamin BSupplementation on Cognition and Homocysteine in Patients with Vitamin BDeficiency and Cognitive Impairment.
Nutrients. 2022 Apr 2 ;14(7). Epub 2022 Apr 2. PMID: 35406106
Asako Ueno
Vitamin Bdeficiency is associated with cognitive impairment, hyperhomocysteinemia, and hippocampal atrophy. However, the recovery of cognition with vitamin Bsupplementation remains controversial. Of the 1716 patients who visited our outpatient clinic for dementia, 83 had vitamin Bdeficiency. Among these, 39 patients (mean age, 80.1± 8.2 years) had undergone Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and laboratory tests for vitamin B, homocysteine (Hcy), and folic acid levels. The hippocampal volume was estimated using the z-score of the MRI-voxel-based specific regional analysis system for Alzheimer's disease. This is multi-center, open-label, single-arm study. All the 39 patients were administered vitamin Band underwent reassessment to measure the retested for MMSE and Hcy after 21-133 days (median = 56 days, interquartile range (IQR) = 43-79 days). After vitamin Bsupplementation, the mean MMSE score improved significantly from 20.5± 6.4 to 22.9 ± 5.5 (< 0.001). Hcy level decreased significantly from 22.9± 16.9 nmol/mL to 11.5 ± 3.9 nmol/mL (< 0.001). Significant correlation was detected between the extent of change in MMSE scores and baseline Hcy values. The degree of MMSE score was not correlated with hippocampal atrophy assessed by the z-score. While several other factors should be considered, vitamin Bsupplementation resulted in improved cognitive function, at least in the short term, in patients with vitamin Bdeficiency.