Deficiency of folic acid salts increases the risk of senile dementia
Vitamin B9 (folic acid and its salts) reduces the concentration of homocysteine protein in the blood and thereby prevents one of the mechanisms involved in the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. And atherosclerosis of the cerebral vessels is one of the main causes of "normal age", and in fact – also pathological senile dementia.
Scientists from the National University of the Republic of Korea and King's College London for more than two years (from 2001 to 2003) observed the mental health status of 518 people over the age of 65 living in rural areas.
At the beginning of the study, the authors confirmed the absence of any forms of dementia in the test participants, and also analyzed the content of folate (vitamin B9), vitamin B12 and homocysteine in their blood. Changes in all these indicators were observed throughout the entire period of work. High levels of homocysteine were observed in patients with cardiovascular diseases.
The baseline level of homocysteine was increased in every fifth participant in the study, while 17% of participants had low levels of vitamin B12, and 3.5% had a deficiency of folic acid salts.
High folate levels corresponded to high vitamin B12 levels and low homocysteine levels.
By the end of the observation period, 45 participants had developed some form of dementia. 34 of them were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, 7 with multiinfarction (vascular) dementia and 4 with other types of dementia.
Dementia was more likely to develop in older people, relatively poorly educated, leading a low-activity lifestyle and having deposits of apolipoprotein E protein.
In addition, a higher risk of developing dementia was characteristic of people who had a decrease in folate levels and a simultaneous increase in homocysteine levels during the follow-up period. The risk of developing dementia was 3.5 times higher in participants with folate deficiency registered at the beginning of the work.
The authors suggest that changes in the content of trace elements and vitamins in the body may be associated with other typical signs preceding the development of dementia, including weight loss and low blood pressure. While weight loss cannot affect the content of trace elements and vitamins in the blood, it can signal qualitative or quantitative changes in the diet.
The article Jae-Min Kim Changes in folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine associated with incident dementia is published in the on-line version of the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry
Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of ScienceDaily.
07.02.2008