Vitamin B12 and Age-Related Cognitive Decline-Dementia and "Alzheimer's Disease"

Food Nutr Bull. 2024 Jun;45(1_suppl):S50-S52. doi: 10.1177/03795721241228060.

Abstract

This article is a commentary on the role of vitamin B12 in age-related cognitive decline, with a meta-commentary on the misuse of the term "Alzheimer's Disease." The article describes the historical origins of the term "Alzheimer's Disease" and argues that the term should be restricted to a narrower segment of the age-related dementia spectrum. The article also outlines the role of vitamin B12 in age-related cognitive decline and outlines the rationale for the treatment of B12 deficiency to address a potentially reversible factor in cognitive decline.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; vascular dementia; vitamin B12.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aging
  • Alzheimer Disease*
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / etiology
  • Dementia*
  • Humans
  • Terminology as Topic
  • Vitamin B 12 Deficiency* / complications
  • Vitamin B 12 Deficiency* / drug therapy
  • Vitamin B 12* / administration & dosage
  • Vitamin B 12* / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Vitamin B 12