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Decreased serum vitamin B12 levels are independently associated with the development of narcolepsy, a sleep disorder, said recent research. The novel study illustrates the complex relationship between vitamin B12 and narcolepsy.
Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder, primarily associated with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), cataplexy attacks, sleep paralysis, and hypnagogic hallucinations, which affects one out of every two thousands individuals. The destruction of hypocretin neurons located in the lateral hypothalamus contributes to a hypocretin deficiency in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is found in almost all patients of narcolepsy with cataplexy
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin belonging to the vitamin B family. It is absorbed through the intestine and can affect various systemic functions, maintain normal physiological functions of the nervous system, and cause megaloblastic anemia.
Vitamin B12 is closely related with the improvement of the sleep-wake cycle and regulating sleep rhythms, thereby improving the sleep quality. In addition, vitamin B12 affects the metabolic pathway of homocysteine, resulting in the high levels of homocysteine, which damage neurons and is closely associated with neurodegenerative diseases.
This retrospective study included 40 patients with narcolepsy who did not receive treatment for narcolepsy since the diagnosis derived from the neurology department of Hospital.
The diagnosis of narcolepsy was determined by a neurologist using the International Classification of Sleep Disorders.
The results of this study showed that, compared with the HC group, the serum levels of folic acid and vitamin B12 were significantly lower, while the TG, creatinine, and homocysteine levels were higher in the narcolepsy group. In addition, vitamin B12 was related to narcolepsy.
The study is published in Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery.
