Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39927551›Full record

ArticleAnnals of neurology2025

Vitamin B12 Levels Association with Functional and Structural Biomarkers of Central Nervous System Injury in Older Adults.

Alexandra Beaudry-Richard, Ahmed Abdelhak, Rowan Saloner, Simone Sacco, Shivany C Montes, Frederike C Oertel, Christian Cordano, Nour Jabassini, Kirtana Ananth, Apraham Gomez and 13 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Higher vitamin BAlzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2025
    Article
  6. Observational
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

23 authors.

Alexandra Beaudry-Richard *Weill Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-5974-8916
Ahmed Abdelhak *Weill Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9731-4169
Rowan SalonerWeill Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Simone SaccoWeill Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8789-3099
Shivany C MontesWeill Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Frederike C OertelWeill Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-4906-5983
Christian CordanoWeill Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1413-0442
Nour JabassiniWeill Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Kirtana AnanthWeill Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Apraham GomezWeill Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Azeen KeihaniWeill Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Makenna ChapmanWeill Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Sree JavvadiNorwich Research Park, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK.
Shikha SahaNorwich Research Park, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK.
Adam StaffaroniWeill Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Christopher SongsterCardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Martin WarrenNorwich Research Park, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK.
John W BoscardinDepartments of Medicine and Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Joel KramerWeill Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Bruce MillerWeill Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Joshua W MillerDepartment of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
Ralph GreenDepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
Ari J GreenWeill Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Funding

Fidelity Foundation
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveVitamin B12 (B12) plays a critical role in fatty- and amino-acid metabolism and nucleotide synthesis. While the association between B12 deficiency and neurological dysfunction is well-known, the exact threshold for adequacy remains undefined in terms of functional impairment and evidence of injury. The objective was to assess whether B12 levels within the current normal range in a cohort of healthy older adults may be associated with measurable evidence of neurological injury or dysfunction.

methodsWe enrolled 231 healthy elderly volunteers (median age 71.2 years old) with a median B12 blood concentration of 414.8 pmol/L (as measured by automated chemiluminescence assay). We performed multifocal visual evoked potential testing, processing speed testing, and magnetic resonance imaging to assess neurological status. Moreover, we measured serum biomarkers of neuroaxonal injury, astrocyte involvement, and amyloid pathology.

resultsLow (log-transformed) B12, especially decreased holo-transcobalamin, was associated with visual evoked potential latency delay (estimate = -0.04; p = 0.023), processing speed impairment (in an age-dependent manner; standardized β = -2.39; p = 0.006), and larger volumes of white matter hyperintensities on MRI (β = -0.21; p = 0.039). Remarkably, high levels of holo-haptocorrin (biologically inactive fraction of B12) correlated with serum levels of Tau, a biomarker of neurodegeneration (β = 0.22, p = 0.015).

interpretationHealthy older subjects exhibit neurological changes at both ends of the measurable "normal" B12 spectrum. These findings challenge our current understanding of optimal serum B12 levels and suggest revisiting how we establish appropriate nutritional recommendations. ANN NEUROL 2025;97:1190-1204.

Indexed as

Vitamin B 12AgedAged, 80 and overBiomarkersCohort StudiesEvoked Potentials, VisualFemaleHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle AgedBiomarkersVitamin B 12

Identifiers

PMID39927551
PMCPMC12082028

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.