Homocysteine, vitamin determinants and neurological diseases
- PMID: 20036953
- DOI: 10.2741/s70
Homocysteine, vitamin determinants and neurological diseases
Abstract
This review focuses on the putative role of hyper-homocysteinemia in the pathogenesis of different diseases affecting the nervous system, including stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, a firm pathogenic role of homocysteine in these diseases has never been established. Lowering plasma homocysteine levels trough vitamin therapy failed to prevent vascular diseases. Conversely, normalization of hyper-homocysteinemia caused improvement in patients with cognitive impairment. B vitamin deficiency is the main determinant of homocysteine levels. However, it has been hypothesized that homocysteine might be a mere marker of vitamin deficiency or an indicator of disease rather than a risk factor. A more consistent use of thresholds to define deficiency is needed to recommend routine screening, monitoring and supplementation of B vitamins to ameliorate the prognosis of the above mentioned disorders. To date, data are insufficient to firmly establish which one of the hypotheses made is correct and the question concerning the real meaning of hyper-homocysteinemia in the pathology of the nervous system still remains an intriguing medical dilemma.
Similar articles
-
Stroke: roles of B vitamins, homocysteine and antioxidants.Nutr Res Rev. 2009 Jun;22(1):49-67. doi: 10.1017/S0954422409990023. Nutr Res Rev. 2009. PMID: 19555518 Review.
-
Chapter 30: historical aspects of the major neurological vitamin deficiency disorders: the water-soluble B vitamins.Handb Clin Neurol. 2010;95:445-76. doi: 10.1016/S0072-9752(08)02130-1. Handb Clin Neurol. 2010. PMID: 19892133 Review.
-
B-vitamins, homocysteine metabolism and CVD.Proc Nutr Soc. 2004 Nov;63(4):597-603. doi: 10.1079/pns2004390. Proc Nutr Soc. 2004. PMID: 15831132 Review.
-
[Review of the role of hyperhomocysteinemia and B-vitamin deficiency in neurological and psychiatric disorders--current evidence and preliminary recommendations].Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr. 2007 Sep;75(9):515-27. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-980112. Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr. 2007. PMID: 17729191 Review. German.
-
B-vitamins, homocysteine and gene polymorphism in adults with fasting or post-methionine loading hyperhomocysteinemia.Eur J Nutr. 2008 Dec;47(8):491-8. doi: 10.1007/s00394-008-0752-5. Epub 2008 Oct 31. Eur J Nutr. 2008. PMID: 18979127
Cited by
-
NADPH oxidase-mediated triggering of inflammasome activation in mouse podocytes and glomeruli during hyperhomocysteinemia.Antioxid Redox Signal. 2013 May 1;18(13):1537-48. doi: 10.1089/ars.2012.4666. Epub 2012 Dec 10. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2013. PMID: 23088210 Free PMC article.
-
Association of plasma homocysteine with self-reported sleep apnea is confounded by age: results from the national health and nutrition examination survey 2005-2006.Sleep Disord. 2012;2012:634920. doi: 10.1155/2012/634920. Epub 2011 Dec 29. Sleep Disord. 2012. PMID: 23471122 Free PMC article.
-
Genetic predisposition to neurodegenerative diseases and risk of stroke: A Mendelian randomization study.Front Neurosci. 2022 Nov 7;16:995045. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2022.995045. eCollection 2022. Front Neurosci. 2022. PMID: 36419459 Free PMC article.
-
Inhibition of hyperhomocysteinemia-induced inflammasome activation and glomerular sclerosis by NLRP3 gene deletion.Cell Physiol Biochem. 2014;34(3):829-41. doi: 10.1159/000363046. Epub 2014 Aug 20. Cell Physiol Biochem. 2014. PMID: 25171193 Free PMC article.
-
Homocysteine Plasmatic Concentration in Brain-Injured Neurocritical Care Patients: Systematic Review of Clinical Evidence.J Clin Med. 2022 Jan 13;11(2):394. doi: 10.3390/jcm11020394. J Clin Med. 2022. PMID: 35054087 Free PMC article. Review.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical