scholarly journals Clinical and Brain Imaging Findings in a Child with Vitamin B12 Deficiency

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 583-588
Author(s):  
Paola Feraco ◽  
Francesca Incandela ◽  
Roberto Franceschi ◽  
Cesare Gagliardo ◽  
Maria Bellizzi
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin B12 ◽  
Brain Atrophy ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Vitamin B12 Deficiency ◽  
Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Failure To Thrive ◽  
Neurological Symptoms ◽  
Vegan Diet ◽  
Mri Findings ◽  
B12 Deficiency

Vitamin B12 (Vit-B12) deficiency is a rare and treatable cause of failure to thrive and delayed development in infants who are exclusively breastfed. Apart from genetic causes, it can be related to a malabsorption syndrome or when the mother follows a strict vegetarian or vegan diet, causing a low hepatic storage of Vit-B12 in the infant at birth. As the neurological symptoms are nonspecific, a brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam is usually performed to rule out primary causes of neurodevelopmental delay. Findings related to brain atrophy are usually observed. A favorable response is achieved with Vit-B12 therapy, and neurological symptoms dramatically improve within a few days after the treatment. We present the case of an infant with severe Vit-B12 deficiency, exclusively breastfed by his young vegan mother, and whose clinical symptoms together with MRI findings improved after treatment. Brain atrophy recovery after Vit-B12 therapy has been seldom documented.

scholarly journals Subacute Combined Degeneration of the Spinal Cord due to Different Etiologies and Improvement of MRI Findings

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Azize Esra Gürsoy ◽  
Mehmet Kolukısa ◽  
Gülsen Babacan-Yıldız ◽  
Arif Çelebi
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Vitamin B12 ◽  
Neurological Complication ◽  
Vitamin B12 Deficiency ◽  
Vegetarian Diet ◽  
Mri Findings ◽  
Subacute Combined Degeneration ◽  
B12 Deficiency ◽  
Reversible Condition

Subacute combined degeneration (SCD) is a rare neurological complication of vitamin B12 deficiency, characterized by demyelination of the dorsal and lateral spinal cord. Herein, we describe three cases, who presented with SCD, one related to reduced intake of vitamin B12 because of a vegetarian diet and two related to nitrous oxide exposure during surgery. MR images of our patients revealed symmetrical hyperintense signals in dorsal and lateral columns in T2 weighted series. After treatment with intramuscular B12 injections (1 mg daily for 2 weeks, once weekly thereafter for three months) all patients showed improvement of their symptoms. Abnormalities of the spinal cord on MRI resolved in three months. In conclusion, SCD either due to nitrous oxide exposure or due to reduced intake of vitamin B12 is a reversible condition, when detected and treated early.

scholarly journals A Preventable Cause of Hypotonia in Infants: Case Report of Two Infants with Vitamin B12 Deficiency

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 48-51
Author(s):  
Akhrif M ◽  
Saghir S ◽  
Kmari M ◽  
Ourrai A ◽  
Hassani A ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin B12 ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Vitamin B12 Deficiency ◽  
Vegan Diet ◽  
Cortical Atrophy ◽  
Neurological Damage ◽  
Delay In Diagnosis ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
B12 Deficiency ◽  
High Level

Introduction: Innate deficits in the metabolism or transport of vitamin B12 are exceptional. The main cause of vitamin B12 deficiency in infants is secondary to maternal deficiency. Maternal deficiency can have a vegan diet, low socio-economic level (developing countries) and a high level of development with a poor diet) or digestive pathologies responsible for a lack of absorption. The clinical signs are not very specific (developmental delay, pallor, hypotonia, vomiting and diarrhoea), which explains the frequent delay in diagnosis. The pathophysiology of the neurological damage, which is still uncertain, is thought to be secondary to a defect in myelination with altered nerve conduction and cortical atrophy. The aim of this work is to underline the importance of raising awareness of vitamin B12 deficiency in order to avoid its profound neurological repercussions, especially as substitution treatment allows an improvement or a reversibility of the neurological damage and raises the question of the possibility of screening new-borns. Materials and Methods: We report the case of two infants aged 6 months and 10 months with hypotonia and psychomotor regression from an early age, whose biological examination revealed pancytopenia with a collapsed vitamin B12 level in both infants and both mothers.

scholarly journals Retardation of myelination due to dietary vitamin B12 deficiency: cranial MRI findings

1997 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl-Olof Lövblad ◽  
Gianpaolo Ramelli ◽  
Luca Remonda ◽  
Arto C. Nirkko ◽  
Christoph Ozdoba ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin B12 ◽  
Vitamin B12 Deficiency ◽  
Dietary Vitamin ◽  
Mri Findings ◽  
Cranial Mri ◽  
B12 Deficiency

scholarly journals OVERCOMING VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY IN VEGAN DIET

2014 ◽  
Vol 04 (01) ◽  
pp. 104-105
Author(s):  
Prassanna Baby ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin B12 ◽  
Higher Plants ◽  
Vitamin B12 Deficiency ◽  
Vegan Diet ◽  
Vitamin B ◽  
Daily Diet ◽  
B12 Deficiency ◽  
Vitamin B 12 ◽  
Micro Organisms ◽  
Dietary Deficiency

Abstract:Vitamin B12 is a crystalline compound essential to a number of micro-organisms and animals, including humans. So far as is known it is not present in higher plants. Pure vegetarian food is nearly free from vit. B12. It is a nutrient that needs attention in vegan diet. Vegetarians are at risk for vitamin B(12) (B12) deficiency due to suboptimal intake. Dietary deficiency of vitamin B12 due to vegetarianism is increasing and causes hyperhomocysteinemia Areas for research include intermittent vitamin B12 supplement dosing and better measurements of the bioavailability of B12 in fermented vegetarian foods and algae. The goal of the present literature review was to create an awareness among the vegans to identify the vegetarian sources of Vitamin B12 and to incorporate them into their daily diet.

Myeloneuropathy from Whipped Cream Bulbs Presenting as Conversion Disorder

1997 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Brett
Keyword(s):  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Vitamin B12 ◽  
Psychiatric Hospital ◽  
Neurological Examination ◽  
Vitamin B12 Deficiency ◽  
Conversion Disorder ◽  
Neurological Symptoms ◽  
Recreational Drug ◽  
B12 Deficiency ◽  
Whipped Cream

Objective:To highlight the complications of nitrous oxide abuse. Clinical picture:A case is presented of a myeloneuropathy in a 21-year-old woman who had been abusing nitrous oxide, obtained from whipped cream bulbs, who was referred to a psychiatric hospital with a diagnosis of conversion disorder. Nitrous oxide toxicity has been reported in medical and dental professions and a few cases of myeloneuropathy due to induced vitamin B12 deficiency have been reported. This would appear to be the first reported case of myeloneuropathy resulting from nitrous oxide abuse from whipped cream propellants as a recreational drug in the community. Treatment:Three doses of intramuscular hydroxy cobalamin (1000 μg) over the course of 1 week. Outcome:Her neurological symptoms and anxiety settled. Conclusions:Nitrous oxide is becoming more popular as a recreational drug; its complications should be noted and a thorough neurological examination performed if abuse is suspected.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency and West Syndrome: An Uncommon but Preventable Cause of Neurological Disorder. Report on Three Cases, One of Them with Late Onset during Vitamin B12 Treatment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piero Pavone ◽  
Federica Sullo ◽  
Raffaele Falsaperla ◽  
Filippo Greco ◽  
Agustina Crespo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin B12 ◽  
Late Onset ◽  
Vitamin B12 Deficiency ◽  
West Syndrome ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Vegan Diet ◽  
Inborn Errors ◽  
Water Soluble Vitamin ◽  
B12 Deficiency ◽  
Somatic Diseases

AbstractVitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that plays a fundamental role as an essential cofactor for two enzymes responsible for the production of succinyl-CoA and methionine. Vitamin B12 deficiency can occur in infants and may be related to the breastfeeding mother's adherence to a vegan diet or somatic diseases in the mother. It should be differentiated from inborn errors of vitamin B12 metabolism. Herein, we report the cases of three infants with West syndrome; all three were breastfed by mothers who followed a strict vegan diet. In one of the three infants, West syndrome developed during treatment with vitamin B12 and normalization of the vitamin B12 level. Early treatment and replacement therapy are worthwhile to prevent serious neurological problems and to improve the patient's clinical course.

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