From: judgeparker23x@gmail.com   
      
   Psych Central    
      
   Low Brain Levels of Vitamin B12 in Schizophrenia, Autism Patients By Traci   
   Pedersen    
   ~ 1 min read    
   Low Brain Levels of Vitamin B12 in Schizophrenia, Autism Patients    
   While brain levels of Vitamin B12 decrease naturally with age, individuals   
   with schizophrenia and autism tend to experience a premature decrease, showing   
   far lower brain levels of B12 than healthy people of similar age, according to   
   a new study.    
      
   For example, compared to non-autistic children under age 10, kids with autism   
   were found to have three times lower brain levels of Vitamin B12; a level more   
   comparable to healthy adults in their 50s.    
      
      
   "These are particularly significant findings because the differences we found   
   in brain B12 with aging, autism, and schizophrenia are not seen in the blood,   
   which is where B12 levels are usually measured," said lead researcher Richard   
   Deth, Ph.D.,    
   professor of pharmacology at Nova Southeastern University's (NSU) College of   
   Pharmacy.    
      
   "The large deficits of brain B12 from individuals with autism and   
   schizophrenia could help explain why patients suffering from these disorders   
   experience neurological and neuropsychiatric symptoms."    
      
   For the study, an international research team analyzed and compared brain   
   tissue from otherwise healthy deceased donors and donors with autism or   
   schizophrenia. They found that healthy elderly people in the age range of   
   61-80 have about three times lower    
   levels of total brain B12 than younger age groups, which is a result of normal   
   aging. This decrease may help adjust brain metabolism to sustain its function   
   across the lifespan.    
      
   An active form of B12 called methylcobalamin, or methyl B12, supports normal   
   brain development by managing a process known as epigenetic regulation of gene   
   expression.    
      
   Significantly, the brain level of methyl B12 was found to be more than 10   
   times lower in healthy elderly people than in healthy younger people. A lower   
   than normal level of methyl B12 in the brain could negatively alter   
   neurodevelopment in younger years    
   and could disrupt learning and memory later in life.    
      
   Both autism and schizophrenia are linked to oxidative stress, also found to be   
   a significant contributor in the aging process. The researchers believe that   
   oxidative stress may underlie the lowered brain B12 levels observed in this   
   study.    
      
      
   The findings suggest the need for further research to determine if the use of   
   supplemental methyl B12 and antioxidants like glutathione could help prevent   
   oxidative stress and potentially be used as a treatment for these conditions.    
      
   The research is published in the online journal Public Library of Science One   
   (PLOS One).    
      
   Source: Nova Southeastern University    
        
      
   http://psychcentral.com/news/2016/01/25/low-brain-levels-of-vita   
   in-b12-in-schizophrenia-autism/98153.html   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)