The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease (AD). AD is characterized by loss of memory and cognitive impairment. In epidemiological studies, low folate could disturb vitamin B12 absorption, which leads to the inflammatory process, and it explains the association between both vitamins and AD. Authors did a systematic search through PubMed and Embase according to the PRISMA protocol. Authors included studies published in the last 5 years (from 2015 to June 2020). Authors assess the quality of studies using JADAD Scale for randomized-controlled trials. Authors found 426 journals in their search strategy. In the end, 2 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in this review. These two randomized controlled trials revealed that folic acid improved cognitive function in AD (p<0.05) and mild cognitive impairment (p=0.028). In this systematic review, authors found that daily folic acid supplements could improve cognitive function in patients with AD and mild cognitive impairment. The exact mechanism is unknown, but it is believed that folic acid supplementation improves cognitive function by reducing the levels of peripheral inflammatory cytokines. Daily oral folic acid supplemental (400 µg and 1.2 mg) for 6-12 months improves cognitive function in AD and mild cognitive Impairment.
Folic acid supplementation improves cognitive function: a systematic review
