Relationships of Vitamin Bl, B12, Folate and the Cognitive Ability of the Thai Rural Elderly
PRASERT ASSANTACHAI, M.D., M.R.C.P.(UK)*, PREYANUJ YAMWONG, M.D., M.Sc. *, TASSANEE CHONGSUPHAUAISIDDHI, M.D., D. T.M.& H.*
Affiliation : * Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok l 0700, Thailand.
Abstract The comparisons of the levels of vitamin B 1, B 12 and folate between the elderly with good and poor cognitive ability are the goals of this study. 203 subjects enrolled in 3 geriatric centers of Ratchaburi province and nearby were recruited. All the subjects were tested with structured Thai Mini Mental State Examination (TMSE) questionnaire by trained examiners. With the cut off point of 23 out of 30 in TMSE, 31 per cent were designated as poor cognitive group. Radiodilution assay was used to determine the level of serum B12 and red cell folate while the TPP effect was pro- cessed by spectrophotometry. The prevalence of vitamin B1, B12 and folate deficiency were 30.2 per cent, 3.8 per cent and 8.2 per cent consecutively. None of the studied vitamin levels was shown to be significantly different between the poor and good cognitive group suggesting no proved indication to the use of vitamin Bl, Bl2 and folate in the healthy elderly with poor cognitive function.
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