Association of low vitamin B(12) levels with depressive and schizophrenia spectrum disorders in child and adolescent psychiatric inpatients.

Folate and vitamin B(12) 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 B(12) in child and adolescent psychiatric inpatients and exam...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Anmella G, Varela E, Prades N, Giménez-Palomo A, Espinosa L, de Castro C, Deulofeu R, Solerdelcoll M, Morer Á, Baeza I
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunitat Valenciana (FISABIO)
Repositorio:r-FISABIO. Repositorio Institucional de Producción Científica
OAI Identifier:oai:fisabio.fundanetsuite.com:p18538
Acceso en línea:https://fisabio.portalinvestigacion.com/publicaciones/18538
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Child and adolescent
Cobalamin
Depression
Folate
Psychiatry
Vitamin
Descripción
Sumario:Folate and vitamin B(12) 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 B(12) 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 B(12) 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 B(12) 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 B(12) levels. Insufficient B(12) 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 B(12) 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 B(12) 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 B(12) 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.