Could B12 and Folate Deficiencies Cause Brain Atrophy and Dementia?

In one study of community-dwelling elders, folate and B₁₂ levels correlated with brain atrophy; in another, these vitamins correlated with incident dementia.

Brain atrophy is associated with dementia progression and has been proposed as a surrogate marker of Alzheimer disease (Br J Radiol 2002; 75:506). Two recent studies address the roles of deficiencies in folate and B₁₂ in brain atrophy and dementia.

Vogiatzoglou and colleagues prospectively assessed annual brain-volume loss during a 5-year period in 107 community-dwelling elders (older than 60) without baseline cognitive impairment. The investigators used annual MRI scans to assess the percentage of brain volume loss (PBVL) and measured levels of sensitive markers of B₁₂ deficiency — such as holotranscobalamin (holoTC) and transcobalamin saturation — as well as levels of B₁₂ metabolites homocysteine (HC) and methylmalonic acid (MMA). All part…

Reviewing Author

Laurence J. Kinsella, MD

Could B₁₂ and Folate Deficiencies Cause Brain Atrophy and Dementia?

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Reviewing Author