Vitamin B12 deficiency and neurological disorders: A case report and literature review

Introduction. - Vitamin B12 deficiency is often associated with neurological disorders of which combined sclerosis of the spinal cord is a common manifestation. Case report. - We report the case of a woman who presented cerebellar ataxia and cognitive deficits associated with leukoencephalopathy on the brain MRI. These symptoms were associated with vitamin B12 deficiency due to Biermer's disease. Vitamin B12 supplementation led to symptom improvement. Later her treatment was discontinued and the patient's clinical status worsened to a bedridden status. Conclusion. - Ataxia cerebellar dementia and leukoencephalopathy can result from vitamin B12 deficiency. To limit the risks of sequelae, vitamin B12 supplementation should be started at an early stage. (C) 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.