Vitamin B12 supplementation improves cognitive function in middle aged and elderly patients with cognitive impairment

Objectives: to determine the effects of vitamin B12 supplementation on neuropsychological function and disease progression in middle aged and elderly patients with cognitive impairment.Methods: this was a prospective case-control study. From May 2020 to May 2021, 307 participants clinically diagnosed with cognitive impair-ment in the Department of Neurology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University were enrolled. A total of 115 patients were included in this study. Meanwhile, 115 participants with cognitive impairment were randomly assigned in equal proportions to two groups: vitamin B12 treatment group (n = 58, vitamin B12 500 mg/d intramuscularly for seven days, followed by cobamamide 0.25 mg/d and methylcobalamin 0.50 mg/d) and the control group (n = 57). Demographic characteristics and blood biochemical variables were obtained from all participants. Cognitive performance was measured using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Cognitive performance was measured at baseline and after six months.Results: the vitamin B12 supplementation treatment patients who presented with cognitive impairment showed significant improvement, especially in attention, calculation (p < 0.01) and visual-constructional ability (p < 0.05), in their neuropsychological function compared to their matched group.Conclusion: vitamin B12 supplementation may improve frontal function in patients with cognitive decline. Vitamin B12 levels should be inves-tigated in all patients with cognitive impairment.