Thoughts on B-vitamins and dementia

Morris, Martha Clare; Schneider, Julie A.; Tangney, Christine C.

doi:10.3233/jad-2006-9409

Cited by 67 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Some studies have shown that higher intakes of vitamin B 12 and folate are related to better cognitive functioning or lower AD risk in the elderly,35–41 possibly due to their ability to reduce homocysteine levels, although results are not conclusive 41. β-Carotene (a major precursor to vitamin A) might have beneficial effects via its antioxidant or Aβ antioligomerisation effects 42–47.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Likewise, we observed positive associations between folate and brain glucose metabolism in an NL, albeit at risk population, although folate levels were generally moderate. The literature indicates that whereas higher food intake of folate may be beneficial, high intake levels of folic acid (the synthetic form of folate) may be harmful, particularly in individuals with low vitamin B 12 status,41 as high dosages of folic acid may mask vitamin B 12 deficiencies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nutrient intake and brain biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease in at-risk cognitively normal individuals: a cross-sectional neuroimaging pilot study

et al. 2014

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ObjectiveThere is increasing evidence to suggest that diet, one of the most important modifiable environmental factors, may play a role in preventing or delaying cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study examines the relationship between dietary nutrients and brain biomarkers of AD in cognitively normal individuals (NL) with and without AD risk factors.DesignAs part of an ongoing brain imaging study, participants received clinical and laboratory examinations, a neurocognitive test battery, positron emission tomography (PET) with 11C-Pittsburgh Compound-B (PiB; a measure of amyloid-β (Aβ) load) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG; a proxy of neuronal activity), and completed semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires.SettingResearch centre affiliated with the Alzheimer's disease Core Center at New York University School of Medicine.Participants49 NL individuals (age 25–72 years, 69% women) with dietary information, 11C-PiB and 18F-FDG PET scans were examined.ResultsControlling for age and total caloric intake, higher intake of vitamin B12, vitamin D and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) was associated with lower Aβ load in AD regions on PiB-PET, while higher intake of β-carotene and folate was associated with higher glucose metabolism on FDG-PET. β-carotene and folate were associated with reduced glucose metabolism for women, apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 (APOE4) carriers and participants with positive AD family history, but not for their risk-free counterparts. The associations of vitamin B12, vitamin D and ω-3 PUFA with PiB retention were independent of gender, APOE and family history. The identified nutrient combination was associated with higher intake of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, fish and legumes, and lower intake of high-fat dairies, meat and sweets.ConclusionsOur data provide a potential pathophysiological mechanism for epidemiological findings showing that dietary interventions may play a role in the prevention of AD. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether there is a direct link between nutrient intake, brain biomarkers and risk of AD.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutrient intake and brain biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease in at-risk cognitively normal individuals: a cross-sectional neuroimaging pilot study

et al. 2014

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“…21,22 Several comprehensive reviews and meta-analyses discussing the impact of B vitamins on cognition have been published and generally point to null or inconclusive results. 4,22–28 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Folate, Vitamin B-6, and Vitamin B-12 Intake and Mild Cognitive Impairment and Probable Dementia in the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study

Agnew-Blais¹,

Wassertheil‐Smoller²,

Kang³

et al. 2015

Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

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Background Whether higher B vitamin (B6, B12, and folate) intake is protective against cognitive decline in later life remains uncertain. Several prospective, observational studies find higher B vitamin intake to be associated with lower risk of dementia; other studies, including most trials of B vitamin supplementation, observe no effect on cognition. We examine this question in a large population of older women carefully monitored for development of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and probable dementia. Objective To determine whether baseline folate, vitamin B6 and/or B12 intake, alone or in combination, are associated with incident MCI/probable dementia among older women. Design Prospective, longitudinal cohort study. B vitamin intake was self-reported using a food frequency questionnaire administered at baseline between May 1996 and December 1999. Participants/Setting Postmenopausal women (n=7,030) free of MCI/probable dementia at baseline in the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study. Main outcome measures Over a mean follow-up of 5.0 years, 238 cases of incident MCI and 69 cases of probable dementia were identified through rigorous screening and expert adjudication. Statistical analyses Cox proportional hazard models adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors examined the association of B vitamin intake above and below the recommended daily allowance and incident MCI/probable dementia. Results Folate intake below the RDA at study baseline was associated with increased risk of incident MCI/probable dementia (HR=2.0, 95% CI: 1.3, 2.9), after controlling for multiple confounders. There were no significant associations between vitamins B6 or B12 and MCI/probable dementia, nor any evidence of an interaction between these vitamins and folate intake. Conclusions Folate intake below the RDA may increase risk for MCI/probable dementia in later life. Future research should include long-term trials of folic acid supplementation to examine whether folate may impart a protective effect on cognition in later life.

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“…Moreover, there are a limited number of prospective cohort studies on B vitamins and dementia, and the findings have not been consistent. Very few prospective studies examined the levels of B vitamins and Hcy in relation to incidence of dementia (Luchsinger et al, 2004;Corrada et al, 2005;Ravaglia et al, 2005;Morris et al, 2006b;Luchsinger et al, 2007b;Wald et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Vitamins B complex (especially, folate, vitamins B 12 and B 6 ) has been given much attention as preventive factors against cognitive decline and dementia (Kuo et al, 2005;Morris et al, 2006b;Schneider et al, 2006;Reynolds, 2006;Sachdev, 2005;Troen and Rosenberg, 2005;Luchsinger et al, 2007a). The primary theoretical basis *Corresponding author.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vitamin B complex and homocysteine status and Cognitive impairment in the elderly among Indian population

Basheer¹,

Soopy²,

Kumar³

et al. 2016

J. Neurosci. Behav. Health

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Vitamins B complex and homocysteine has been given much attention as preventive factors against cognitive decline and dementia. Hyper homocysteinaemia has been suggested as a cause or mechanism in the development of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. The present study is designed to know the role of vitamin B complex and homocysteine and its relation with cognition, using biological samples. A total of 337 subjects with a mean age of 49 years participated in the cross sectional study from different parts of Kerala state in India. Participants were administered a series of neuropsychological test batteries with major emphasis on 7-min screen test. All test procedures were administered by standard protocol after a written consent was obtained from the participating subjects. Analysis of vitamin B complex and homocysteine was done, using serum samples and the data obtained was then statistically analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software version 17. Vitamin B 6 and B 9 were found to be significantly related to the cognitive score (P < 0.001, p < 0.003, respectively). Independent sample test showed a highly significant change with a p value < 0.048 and < 0.019 of vitamin B 12 and homocysteine, respectively. The results of our study give us an insight that Vitamin B complex and homocysteine may be closely associated with cognitive function in elderly population. But further studies on a larger population is required to come out with a definite conclusion.

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Thoughts on B-vitamins and dementia

Cited by 67 publications

References 48 publications

Nutrient intake and brain biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease in at-risk cognitively normal individuals: a cross-sectional neuroimaging pilot study

Nutrient intake and brain biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease in at-risk cognitively normal individuals: a cross-sectional neuroimaging pilot study

Folate, Vitamin B-6, and Vitamin B-12 Intake and Mild Cognitive Impairment and Probable Dementia in the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study

Vitamin B complex and homocysteine status and Cognitive impairment in the elderly among Indian population

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