title: B vitamin supplementation improves cognitive function in the middle aged and elderly with hyperhomocysteinemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An intervention study was performed to determine if supplement containing folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12could improve cognitive function and lower homocysteine in middle-aged and elderly patients with hyperhomocysteinemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and four participants with hyperhomocysteinemia were recruited in Tianjin, China, aged 55-94 years old. Fifty-seven individuals with hyperhomocysteinemia were included in the intervention group (vitamin B group, which received 800 µg/day of folate, with 10 mg of vitamin B6and 25 µg of vitamin B12) and 47 patients in the placebo group. The endpoint was the improvement in cognitive function as evaluated by Basic Cognitive Aptitude Tests (BCATs). All parameters were measured before and after the treatment period of 14 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The BCAT total score and four sub-tests scores (digit copy, Chinese character rotation, digital working memory, and recognition of meaningless figure) of BCAT at 14 weeks significantly increased only for the vitamin B group. Serum total homocysteine (tHcy) levels significantly decreased in the intervention group, while serum concentrations of folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12significantly increased in the intervention group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results demonstrated that supplement containing folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12in middle-aged and elderly patients with hyperhomocysteinemia could improve their cognitive function partly and reduce serum tHcy levels.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nutrition , Tianjin Institute of Health and Environmental Medicine , Tianjin , China.|b Department of Nutrition and Food Safety , West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University , Chengdu , China.|c Department of Public Health , Chengdu Medical College , Chengdu , China.
authors.forename: Daomei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: b Department of Nutrition and Food Safety , West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University , Chengdu , China.
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nutrition , Tianjin Institute of Health and Environmental Medicine , Tianjin , China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nutrition , Tianjin Institute of Health and Environmental Medicine , Tianjin , China.
authors.forename: Hongpeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: d Center for Disease Control and Prevention , PLA Chengdu Military Area Command, Chengdu , China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: b Department of Nutrition and Food Safety , West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University , Chengdu , China.
authors.forename: Chengyu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nutrition , Tianjin Institute of Health and Environmental Medicine , Tianjin , China.
authors.forename: Yugang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D058620:Elder Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009735:Nursing Homes; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D025101:Vitamin B 6 / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine; D025101:Vitamin B 6; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12
keywords: B vitamins; Cognition; Homocysteine; Hyperhomocysteinemia; The middle aged and elderly