Vitamin B12 Deficiency and Dementia

We set out to investigate the possible beneficial effects on cognitive function of demented patients with cobalamin deficiency after cobalamin replacement. A total of 181 consecutive, demented (DSM-III or DSM-III-R criteria and score below 24 on the Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] outpatients (...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International psychogeriatrics 1995-03, Vol.7 (1), p.85-88
Main Authors: Cunha, Ulisses Gabriel de Vasconcelos, Rocha, Fábio Lopes, Peixoto, Josecy Maria de Souza, Motta, Maria Flávia de Morão, Barbosa, Maira Tonidandel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Alzheimer Disease - blood
Alzheimer Disease - diagnosis
Alzheimer Disease - drug therapy
Alzheimer Disease - psychology
Dementia
Dementia - blood
Dementia - diagnosis
Dementia - drug therapy
Dementia - psychology
Dementia, Multi-Infarct - blood
Dementia, Multi-Infarct - diagnosis
Dementia, Multi-Infarct - drug therapy
Dementia, Multi-Infarct - psychology
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Injections, Intramuscular
Male
Mental Status Schedule
Middle Aged
Prospective Studies
Research and Reviews
Treatment Outcome
Vitamin B
Vitamin B 12 - administration & dosage
Vitamin B 12 - blood
Vitamin B 12 Deficiency - blood
Vitamin B 12 Deficiency - diagnosis
Vitamin B 12 Deficiency - drug therapy
Vitamin B 12 Deficiency - psychology
Vitamin deficiency
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Summary:We set out to investigate the possible beneficial effects on cognitive function of demented patients with cobalamin deficiency after cobalamin replacement. A total of 181 consecutive, demented (DSM-III or DSM-III-R criteria and score below 24 on the Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] outpatients (mean age 77.5 years) were prospectively evaluated and had their vitamin B12 level measured by radioimmunoassay. The frequency of vitamin B12 deficiency (less than 200 pg/mL) was 25% (46 patients). Treatment outcome was obtained in 19 patients (19 of 46). Despite cobalamin replacement, 16 of 19 patients persisted in showing progressive decline during follow-up visits (3 to 24 months). The nonresponse to vitamin B12 replacement in most cases seems to reflect the presence of associated irreversible dementia or a follow-up of shorter duration in a few patients. All of the patients who showed some improvement (MMSE returned to normal values) had mild dementia with a history of less than 2 years. Thus, screening for B12 deficiency should be considered in patients with recent onset of mild mental status changes.
ISSN:1041-6102
1741-203X
DOI:10.1017/S1041610295001876