Resumen

LANYAU DOMINGUEZ, Yeneisy  y  MACIAS MATOS, Consuelo. Vitamin deficiency and Alzheimer's disease. Rev Cubana Salud Pública [online]. 2005, vol.31, n.4. ISSN 0864-3466.

Neurocognitive impairments associated to dementia and particularly Alzheimer´s disease (AD) are reaching epidemic levels worldwide, being the cause of morbidity and of a high number of deaths in the elderly. Of the various risk factors of this disease, adequate nutrition seems to play a protective role. It is well known the essential function of some complex B vitamins in brain functioning. There are many epidemiological pieces of evidence in older people that show the association of low biochemical levels of intake of several vitamins with decline in cognitive abilities. Recent research studies suggest that hyperhomocysteinemia related to insufficient levels of some complex B vitamins may contribute to cognitive deterioration and to AD. Some studies show the role of vitamin B1 in the pathophysiology of AD. Because of their antioxidant role, vitamins A,E,C and carotene are considered as protectors against this disease. Vitamins have been used to treat cognitive deterioration and AD in a number of studies that demonstrate that vitamins are a factor to be taken into account in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Palabras clave : alzheimer's disease; complex B vitamins; hyperhomocysteinemia; antioxidant vitamins; dietary supplements.

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