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Treatment of cobalamin deficiency in dementia, evaluated clinically and with cerebral blood flow measurements

Nilsson, Karin LU ; Warkentin, Siegbert LU ; Hultberg, B ; Fäldt, Roger LU and Gustafson, Lars LU (2000) In Aging 12(3). p.199-207
Abstract
We investigated the relation between cobalamin deficiency, clinical changes and brain function in dementia patients. On admittance to the clinic, 24 patients had cobalamin deficiency, and dementia with additional symptoms of delirium. During cobalamin supplementation, the patients underwent repeated regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) studies, psychiatric evaluations, and in some cases assessment with MMSE and the Organic Brain Syndrome scale. Fifteen patients who showed mild to moderate dementia improved clinically, and also showed a concomitant increase in their general CBF after treatment. In contrast, 9 patients who were severely demented showed no obvious clinical improvement, and no general blood flow change, although some regional... (More)
We investigated the relation between cobalamin deficiency, clinical changes and brain function in dementia patients. On admittance to the clinic, 24 patients had cobalamin deficiency, and dementia with additional symptoms of delirium. During cobalamin supplementation, the patients underwent repeated regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) studies, psychiatric evaluations, and in some cases assessment with MMSE and the Organic Brain Syndrome scale. Fifteen patients who showed mild to moderate dementia improved clinically, and also showed a concomitant increase in their general CBF after treatment. In contrast, 9 patients who were severely demented showed no obvious clinical improvement, and no general blood flow change, although some regional flow increases were seen in sensory motor areas. We conclude that symptoms which probably indicated superimposed delirium such as clouding of consciousness, disorientation and clinical fluctuation, responded to the vitamin B12 supplementation, while the underlying dementia condition remained basically unchanged. The clinical improvement was also mirrored in general and focal rCBF changes. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Aging
volume
12
issue
3
pages
199 - 207
publisher
Kurtis
external identifiers
  • wos:000088522500005
  • scopus:0033822604
ISSN
0394-9532
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Department of Psychogeriatrics (013304000), Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund (013230000)
id
3f82eb5a-c968-43d7-a567-8d573da82874 (old id 1297035)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:42:43
date last changed
2022-01-28 21:34:07
@article{3f82eb5a-c968-43d7-a567-8d573da82874,
  abstract     = {{We investigated the relation between cobalamin deficiency, clinical changes and brain function in dementia patients. On admittance to the clinic, 24 patients had cobalamin deficiency, and dementia with additional symptoms of delirium. During cobalamin supplementation, the patients underwent repeated regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) studies, psychiatric evaluations, and in some cases assessment with MMSE and the Organic Brain Syndrome scale. Fifteen patients who showed mild to moderate dementia improved clinically, and also showed a concomitant increase in their general CBF after treatment. In contrast, 9 patients who were severely demented showed no obvious clinical improvement, and no general blood flow change, although some regional flow increases were seen in sensory motor areas. We conclude that symptoms which probably indicated superimposed delirium such as clouding of consciousness, disorientation and clinical fluctuation, responded to the vitamin B12 supplementation, while the underlying dementia condition remained basically unchanged. The clinical improvement was also mirrored in general and focal rCBF changes.}},
  author       = {{Nilsson, Karin and Warkentin, Siegbert and Hultberg, B and Fäldt, Roger and Gustafson, Lars}},
  issn         = {{0394-9532}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{199--207}},
  publisher    = {{Kurtis}},
  series       = {{Aging}},
  title        = {{Treatment of cobalamin deficiency in dementia, evaluated clinically and with cerebral blood flow measurements}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2000}},
}