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Improvement of cognitive functions after cobalamin/folate supplementation in elderly patients with dementia and elevated plasma homocysteine

På svenska

Author

  • Karin Nilsson
  • Lars Gustafson
  • Björn Hultberg

Summary, in English

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of cobalamin/folate supplementation on cognitive function in elderly patients with dementia. METHOD: The cobalamin/folate status of the patients was evaluated by measuring plasma homocysteine, serum methylmalonic acid, serum cobalamin and blood folate. Thirty-three patients were studied and repeatedly assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and 'A short cognitive performance test for assessing memory and attention' (SKT) during vitamin substitution. RESULTS: Patients with mild-moderate dementia and elevated plasma homocysteine levels improved clinically with increased test scores after vitamin substitution, while severely demented patients and patients with normal plasma homocysteine levels did not improve clinically. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma homocysteine may be the best marker for detecting treatable cobalamin/folate deficiency in patients with dementia.

Publishing year

2001

Language

English

Pages

609-614

Publication/Series

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry

Volume

16

Issue

6

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Topic

  • Psychiatry
  • Geriatrics

Keywords

  • cobalamin
  • folate
  • homocysteine
  • methylmalonic acid
  • dementia

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1099-1166