vitamin-b-12 and Basal-Ganglia-Diseases

Topics: Basal Ganglia Diseases; Chorea; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Treatment Outcome; Vitamin B 12; Vitamin B 12 Deficiency

Fahr's syndrome is characterized by symmetrical and bilateral intracerebral calcifications, located in the basal ganglia and mostly associated with a phosphorus calcium metabolism disorder. It must be distinguished from genetic or sporadic Fahr's disease.. We report two cases of this syndrome, the first was revealed by psychotic and cognitive disorders and the other by epilepsy. In both cases, brain imaging and biology resulted in the diagnosis of Fahr's syndrome. The outcome was favorable after treatment in both cases.. These two observations illustrate various clinical signs of Fahr's syndrome.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Basal Ganglia Diseases; Calcinosis; Calcium; Calcium Metabolism Disorders; Cognition Disorders; Female; Humans; Male; Psychotic Disorders; Syndrome; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Treatment Outcome; Vitamin B 12; Vitamin D

Vitamin B12 and folate deficiency causing neuropsychiatric and thrombotic manifestations, such as peripheral neuropathy, subacute combined degeneration of cord, dementia, ataxia, optic atrophy, catatonia, psychosis, mood disturbances, myocardial infarction and portal vein thrombosis are well known. This present report highlights an unusual presentation of vitamin B12 deficiency-psychotic disorder, extrapyramidal symptoms in a 12-year-old boy. His symptoms responded to parenteral vitamin B12 therapy. So with this report we emphasized that serum vitamin B12 and folate levels should be measured, especially in those patients who present with other known neuropsychiatric features of vitamin B12 and folate deficiency.

Topics: Basal Ganglia Diseases; Child; Folic Acid; Folic Acid Deficiency; Humans; Male; Psychotic Disorders; Vitamin B 12; Vitamin B 12 Deficiency

Because glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) regulates both folate absorption and activation of N-methyl-d-aspartic acid receptors, the authors examined relationships between serum folate concentrations and clinical symptoms in schizophrenia patients.. For 91 outpatients with schizophrenia, clinical assessments were performed and serum folate, homocysteine, B(12), glycine, and serine concentrations were measured.. Serum folate concentrations were significantly lower than in a representative sample from the Framingham Offspring Study. Folate concentration correlated inversely with the Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms total score and was lower in patients with the deficit syndrome than in nondeficit patients. Homocysteine concentration correlated with the severity of extrapyramidal symptoms.. These findings could reflect several possible mechanisms, including low dietary intake of folate, low GCPII activity, cigarette smoking, and the involvement of folate in the synthesis of neurotransmitters. Additional studies are needed to clarify these findings.

Topics: Adult; Ambulatory Care; Basal Ganglia Diseases; Diet; Female; Folic Acid; Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II; Homocysteine; Humans; Male; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenic Psychology; Severity of Illness Index; Smoking; Vitamin B 12