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. 2025 Sep;34(9):2753-2762.
doi: 10.1007/s00787-025-02662-4. Epub 2025 Mar 18.

Association of low vitamin B12 levels with depressive and schizophrenia spectrum disorders in child and adolescent psychiatric inpatients

Gerard Anmella  1 , Eva Varela  2 , Nuria Prades  3 , Anna Giménez-Palomo  1 , Laura Espinosa  4 , Clara de Castro  5 , Ramon Deulofeu  1   6 , Mireia Solerdelcoll  1   7 , Ástrid Morer  1   8 , Inmaculada Baeza  9   10   11
Affiliations

Association of low vitamin B12 levels with depressive and schizophrenia spectrum disorders in child and adolescent psychiatric inpatients

Gerard Anmella et al. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2025 Sep.

Abstract

Folate and vitamin B12 are associated with neurodevelopment and neurotransmitter synthesis and insufficiencies of these nutrients could be linked to psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. To assess serum levels of folate and B12 in child and adolescent psychiatric inpatients and examine possible links between these levels and different psychiatric disorders. Child and adolescent psychiatric inpatients admitted in a general hospital during a 3-year period were included for analysis. Folate and B12 levels were measured when the subjects were admitted. Psychiatric diagnoses were made following DSM-5 criteria and grouped into categories. Logistic regression analysis was used to study the effects of socio-demographic variables as well as folate and B12 levels, insufficiencies and deficits as possible predictors of outcome (psychiatric diagnostic category). 729 inpatients (60.6% female, mean age: 15.1 ± 2 years) were included. A total of 42.9% presented insufficient folate levels and 19.4% insufficient B12 levels. Insufficient B12 levels were associated with depressive disorders in the multivariate model (OR = 0.82, p = 0.002) as was female sex (OR = 1.65, p = 0.007). Moreover, low vitamin B12 levels were linked to schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD, OR = 0.9982, p = 0.024). In contrast, higher folate (OR = 1.15, p < 0.001) and vitamin B12 levels (1.0024, p = 0.002) as well as female sex (OR = 7.86, p < 0.001) were associated with eating disorders. Insufficient or low B12 levels could help predict depressive and SSD respectively in child and adolescent psychiatric inpatients. Further study could help us better understand the impact of this insufficiency during the neurodevelopmental period and the potential benefits of nutritional interventions.

Keywords: Child and adolescent; Cobalamin; Depression; Folate; Psychiatry; Vitamin.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing interests: GA has received CME-related honoraria, or consulting fees from Janssen-Cilag, Lundbeck and Angelini with no financial or other relationship relevant to the subject of this article. EV has received honoraria and travel support from Otsuka-Lundbeck, Shire and Janssen. AG-P has received support from Janssen-Cilag and Otsuka-Lundbeck, and declares no support related to the subject of this article. LE has received support from Janssen-Cilag and Otsuka-Lundbeck, and declares no support related to the subject of this article. NP has received grants, personal fees and/or non-financial support from Janssen-Cilag and Otsuka and reports no financial or other relationship relevant to the subject of this article. MS was a grant-holder from Fundación Alicia Koplowitz. IB has received honoraria or travel support from Otsuka-Lundbeck and Angelini, research support from Fundación Alicia Koplowitz and grants from Spanish Ministry of Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI18/00242, PI21/00391) and National Drugs Plan (2022I053). All other authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to the subject of this article.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Adjusted probability prediction for a depressive disorder (A), Schizophrenia Spectrum disorders (B) and Eating disorders (C) according to vitamin B12 levels, folate levels and sex (one variable or another, depending on the diagnostic category), in our sample
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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