journal articles
ASSOCIATION OF VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY IN A DEMENTIA COHORT WITH HIPPOCAMPAL ATROPHY ON MRI
Asako Ueno, Tadanori Hamano, Miwako Nagata, Tomohisa Yamaguchi, Yoshinori Endo, Soichi Enomoto, Hirohiko Kimura, Masamichi Ikawa, Osamu Yamamura, Daiki Yamanaka, Yohei Kimura, Yasunari Nakamoto, Yasuhiro Nishiyama
BACKGROUND: Vitamin deficiencies have been reported to cause brain atrophy. Hippocampal atrophy has been well reported in patients with dementia including Alzheimer’s disease.
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between hippocampal atrophy and vitamin deficiency
DESIGN: Cross sectional study.
SETTING: Three sites in one country.
PARTICIPANTS: Overall, 567 patients who visited an outpatient dementia clinic and underwent MRI-VSRAD (Voxel-Based Specific RegionalAnalysis System for Alzheimer's Disease) were included in this study.
INTERVENTION: Patients with a hippocampal atrophy Z-score of < 2 were classified as normal (n = 323), and those with a Z-score of ≥ 2 were diagnosed with hippocampal atrophy (n = 244).
MEASUREMENTS: Vitamin B12, folic acid, vitamin B1, homocysteine, HbA1c, and creatinine levels were measured and their association with hippocampal atrophy was assessed. Age, MMSE (Mini Mental State Examination), and hippocampal atrophy were also evaluated.
RESULTS: In the hippocampal atrophy group, the frequency of vitamin B12 deficiency was higher (p < 0.022), MMSE score was lower (p < 0.0001), and age was higher (p < 0.0001) than that in the normal group (Mann-Whitney U test). Patients with vitamin B12 deficiency (odds ratio, 3.46) and low MMSE score (odds ratio, 2.24) had an increased risk of hippocampal atrophy.
CONCLUSION: Vitamin B12 deficiency was associated with hippocampal atrophy detected by VSRAD analysis. Therefore, early vitamin B12 supplementation should be considered in patients with deficiencies to reduce dementia risk.
CITATION:
Asako Ueno ; Tadanori Hamano ; Miwako Nagata ; Tomohisa Yamaguchi ; Yoshinori Endo ; Soichi Enomoto ; Hirohiko Kimura ; Masamichi Ikawa ; Osamu Yamamura ; Daiki Yamanaka ; Yohei Kimura ; Yasunari Nakamoto ; Yasuhiro Nishiyama (2025): Association of vitamin B12 deficiency in a dementia cohort with hippocampal atrophy on MRI. The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease (JPAD). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjpad.2025.100265