Clinical Study Title:
Pseudodementia in a twenty-one-year-old with bipolar disorder and vitamin B12 and folate deficiency.

Plain English Summary:

This is a case study of a 21 year old female who had been diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder. She began experiencing symptoms of dementia, and upon the treatment of antidepressants, this cognitive impairment returned. Lab results showed a deficiency in folate and vitamin b12. Supplementation was administered to compensate for these deficiencies and the dementia reversed itself. For persons with psychiatric illnesses, an organic workup should always be done, and a daily supplement of vitamin b12 may help to avoid the development of deficiency related dementia or cognitive impairment.

Authors

Reid SD.

Institution

Department of Clinical Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.

Country of Publication

Jamaica

Source

West Indian Medical Journal. 49(4):347-8, 2000 Dec.