ABSTRACT
Memory deficit and dementia are common among elderly individuals. Prevention of most types of cognitive impairment is not possible because we do not understand the pathogenesis of the diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), that cause impairment. It has long been known that deficiency of vitamins such as niacin, vitamin B12 and thiamine cause cognitive impairment, and that replacement of deficient nutrients can prevent or ameliorate those forms of cognitive impairment that are caused by deficiency. However, new studies suggest that even moderately low or subclinically deficient levels of B vitamins are associated with cognitive impairment and other psychiatric disorders. In this chapter, we review the possible link between homocysteine and associated B vitamins as a contributing causal pathway to cognitive decline and dementia.
