Scientists have found that the concentration of vitamin B12 in the brain decreases with aging, as well as in schizophrenia and autism.

This is reported by the magazine Public Library of Science One (PLOS One).

For example, a 10-year-old child with autism has a three-fold lower level of B12 in the brain compared to his healthy peer.

In this case, its indicator will correspond to a healthy person 50-60 years of age.

"We found significant differences in the concentration of vitamin B12 in the brain of healthy people, as well as patients with schizophrenia and autism. It is important that these differences can not be detected by routine blood analysis, which is carried out at the clinic. Meanwhile, a serious B12 deficiency in the brain can explain some of the neurological symptoms observed in these diseases, "write the study authors.

The International Group of Scientists was led by Dr. Richard Deth, Professor of Pharmacology at the New South East University in the United States. Researchers compared the brain tissue of dead donors of different ages and with different diseases, trying to find biochemical patterns.

It turned out that the level of vitamin B12 in the human brain of 60-80 years is about three times lower than in young people. Reduction of the concentration of this vitamin, apparently, occurs gradually throughout life, in parallel with the "old" changes in the functions of the brain - a deterioration of memory and intelligence.

The active form of vitamin B12 - methylcobalamin, or methyl-B12, participates in the normal development of nerve tissues and controls the expression of a number of genes in the cells of the nervous system.

It is noteworthy that a premature decrease in the level of methyl-B12 in young years can adversely affect the neurological development of a person and affect his memory and intellectual abilities later.

Both schizophrenia and autism are associated with severe oxidative stress. Scientists believe that oxidative stress is connected in a certain way with the deficiency of methyl-B12 in the brain of patients.

Now the question arose: is it possible to prevent oxidative stress and improve the course of both diseases with the help of food additives with B12, antioxidants or glutathione? But this is a question of the future.

medbe. en.

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