Premium
Vitamin B12 deficiency in dementia and cognitive impairment: the effects of treatment on neuropsychological function
Author(s) -
Eastley Rebecca,
Wilcock Gordon K.,
Bucks Romola S.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1166(200003)15:3<226::aid-gps98>3.0.co;2-k
Subject(s) - dementia , vitamin b12 , verbal fluency test , neuropsychology , neuropsychological test , medicine , cognition , alzheimer's disease , neuropsychological assessment , psychology , cyanocobalamin , audiology , psychiatry , disease
Background Vitamin B12 assay is part of the routine investigation of dementia, although few studies have investigated the effects of treatment on cognition. We examined the effects of B12 treatment on neuropsychological function and disease progression in patients presenting with dementia or cognitive impairment. Methods From 1432 patients who were assessed at the Bristol Memory Disorders Clinic, 125 patients with low serum B12 were identified. Sixty‐six patients presenting with dementia, and 22 with cognitive impairment were seen for a second assessment after treatment. Changes in neuropsychological test scores were compared with those of patients with normal serum B12, matched by age and diagnosis. Results The majority of patients with low serum B12 had normal Hb and MCV values. We found no cases of reversible B12 deficiency dementia. The B12 treatment patients who presented with dementia showed no significant improvement, and no less deterioration, in their neuropsychological function than their matched group. However, a treatment effect was demonstrated among the patients presenting with cognitive impairment. These improved significantly compared to matched patients on the verbal fluency test ( p <0.01). Conclusion All patients with cognitive impairment should be investigated for B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 treatment may improve frontal lobe and language function in patients with cognitive impairment, but rarely reverses dementia. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.