Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T19:18:52.609Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Wechsler subtests in mild organic brain damage associated with folate deficiency1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

M. I. Botez ,
Thérèse Botez  and
Urs Maag
M. I. Botez*
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, Neurology Service, Hôtel-Dieu Hospital and Department of Computer Science and Operation Research, University of Montreal, Canada
Thérèse Botez
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, Neurology Service, Hôtel-Dieu Hospital and Department of Computer Science and Operation Research, University of Montreal, Canada
Urs Maag
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, Neurology Service, Hôtel-Dieu Hospital and Department of Computer Science and Operation Research, University of Montreal, Canada
*
2Address for correspondence: Dr M. I. Botez, Neuropsychology Laboratory, Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, 110 Pine Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2W 1R7.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Synopsis

Forty-nine patients with low serum and cerebrospinal fluid folate levels completed the Ottawa–Wechsler Scale after 7–11 months of folate supplementation (10 mg daily). Twelve patients exhibited major neurological symptoms, while 37 patients displayed depression and minor neurological signs. After folate therapy, Verbal, Performance and Full Wechsler scores were significantly improved (P ≺ 0·0·01). The order of improvement in scores on the Wechsler subtests (from the statistically most significant to the least as measured by the t-statistics) was: Block Design, Digit Symbol, Similarities, Picture Completion, Picture Arrangement, Arithmetic, Object Assembly, Digit Span, Information, and Comprehension.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 14 , Issue 2 , May 1984 , pp. 431 - 437
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

1

This paper was presented at the Eleventh Annual Meeting of the International Neuropsychological Society, Mexico City, February 1983.

References

Albert, M., Butters, N., Rogers, S., Pressman, J. & Geller, A. (1982). A preliminary report: nutritional levels and cognitive performance in chronic alcohol abusers. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 9, 131–142.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bachevalier, J. & Botez, M. I. (1979). Behavioral effects of folic acid deficiency and folate oversupplementation in postweanling rats. In Folic Acid in Neurology, Psychiatry and Internal Medicine (ed. Botez, M. I. and Reynolds, E. H.), pp. 237–248. Raven Press: New York.Google Scholar
Birren, J. E. & Morrisson, D. F. (1961). Analysis of the WAIS subtests in relation to age and education. Journal of Gerontology 16, 363–369.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Botez, M. I. & Botez, T. (1982). Folic acid deficiency and depression. Psychosomatics 23, 63.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Botez, M. I. & Reynolds, E. H. (eds.) (1979). Folic Acid in Neurology, Psychiatry and Internal Medicine. Raven Press: New York.Google Scholar
Botez, M. I., Peyronnard, J. M., Bachevalier, J.Charron, L. (1978). Polyneuropathy and folate deficiency. Archives of Neurology 35, 581–584.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Botez, M. I., Botez, T., Léeveillé, J., Bielmann, P. & Cadotte, M. (1979 a). Neuropsychological correlates of folic acid deficiency; facts and hypothesis. In Folic Acid in Neurology, Psychiatry and Internal Medicine (ed. Botez, M. I. and Reynolds, E. H.), pp. 435–461. Raven Press: New York.Google Scholar
Botez, M. I., Young, S. N., Bachevalier, J. & Gauthier, S. (1979 b). Folate deficiency and decreased brain 5HT synthesis in man and rat. Nature 278, 182–183.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Botez, M. I., Bachevalier, J. & Tunnicliff, G. (1980). Dietary folic acid and the activity of brain cholinergic and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) enzymes. Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences 7, 133–134.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Botez, M. I., Young, S. N., Bachevalier, J. & Gauthier, S. (1982). Effect of folic acid and vitamin B12 deficiencies on human CSF 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. Annals of Neurology 12, 479–484.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carlen, P. L., Wortzman, G., Holgate, R. C., Wilkinson, D. A. & Rankin, J. G. (1978). Reversible cerebral atrophy in recently abstinent alcoholics measured by computed tomography scans. Science 200, 1076–1078.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chagnon, M. (1953). Manuel et normes de l'échelle d'intelligence Ottawa Wechsler. University of Ottawa Press: Ottawa.Google Scholar
Curtius, H. C., Mūldner, H. & Niederwieser, A. (1982). Tetrahydro-biopterin: efficacy in endogenous depression and Parkinson's disease. Journal of Neural Transmission 55, 301–308.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ghadirian, A., Ananth, A. M. & Engelsmann, F. (1980). Folic acid deficiency and depression. Psychosomatics 21, 926–929.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Goldstein, A. (1965). Biostatistics. An Introductory Text, pp. 59–61, 144, 146. MacMillan: New York.Google Scholar
Guard, O., Dumas, R., Audry, D., Tommasi, M. & Knopf, J. F. (1981). Étude clinique et anatomo-pathologique d'un cas de dégénérescence combinée de la moëlle avec déficience en acide folique. Revue Neurologique (Paris) 137, 435–446.Google Scholar
Hunter, R., Barnes, J., Oakeley, H. F. & Matthews, D. M. (1970). Toxicity of folic acid given in pharmacological doses to healthy volunteers. Lancet i, 61–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kaufman, A. (1968). The substitution test: a survey of studies on organic mental impairment and the role of learning and motor factors in test performance. Cortex 4, 47–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kohs, S. C. (1970). Manual for Kohs Block Design Test. Catalogue 3700 M. Stoelting: Chicago.Google Scholar
Lejeune, J. (1981). Métabolisme des monocarbones et syndrome de l'X fragile. Bulletin de l' Académie Nationale de Médecine 165, 1197–1206.Google ScholarPubMed
Lezak, M. D. (1976). Neuropsychological Assessment, pp. 181–254. Oxford University Press: New York.Google Scholar
Lezak, M. D. (1978). Subtle sequelae of brain damage. American Journal of Physical Medicine 57, 9–15.Google ScholarPubMed
Murstein, B. I. & Leipold, D. W. (1961). The role of learning and motor abilities in the Wechsler-Bellevue Digit Symbol Test. Educational and Psychological Measurement 21, 103–112.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Prakash, R. & Petrie, W. M. (1982). Psychiatric changes associated with an excess of folic acid. American Journal of Psychiatry 139, 1192–1193.Google ScholarPubMed
Reitan, R. M. (1969). Manual for Administration of Neuropsychological Test Batteries for Adults and Children, pp. 1–66. Privately published by the author: Indianapolis.Google Scholar
Reynolds, E. H. (1976). Neurological aspects of folate and vitamin B12 metabolism. Clinics in Haematology 5, 661–696.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Reynolds, E. H. (1979). Interrelations between the neurology of folate and vitamin B12 deficiency. In Folic Acid in Neurology, Psychiatry and Internal Medicine (ed. Botez, M. I. and Reynolds, E. H.), pp. 501–515. Raven Press: New York.Google Scholar
Reynolds, E. H., Mattson, R. H. & Galagher, B. B. (1971). Relationship between serum and cerebrospinal fluid anticonvulsant drugs and folic acid concentrations in epileptic patients. Neurology (Minneapolis) 22, 841–844.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reynolds, E. H., Rothfield, P. & Pincus, J. (1973). Neurological disease associated with folate deficiency. British Medical Journal ii, 398–400.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rosenberg, L. E. (1974). Vitamin-responsive inherited diseases affecting the nervous system. In Brain Dysfunction in Metabolic Disorders (ed. Plum, F.), pp. 263–270. Raven Press: New York.Google Scholar
Shorvon, S. D., Carney, M. W. P., Chanarin, I. & Reynolds, E. H. (1980). The neuropsychiatry of megaloblastic anemia. British Medical Journal 281, 1036–1038.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Singer, H. S., Butler, L., Rothenberg, S., Valle, D. & Freeman, J. (1980). Interrelationships among serum folate, CSF folate, neurotransmitters, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Neurology (New York) 30, 419.Google Scholar
Smith, A. (1975). Neuropsychological testing in neurological disorders. In Advances in Neurology, Vol. 7 (ed. Freidlander, W. J.), pp. 49–110. Raven Press: New York.Google Scholar
Smithells, R. W., Sheppard, S. & Schorah, C. J. (1980). Possible prevention of neural tube defects by preconceptional vitamin supplementation. Lancet i, 339–340.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Praag, H. M. & de Haan, S. (1979). Central serotonin metabolism and frequency of depression. Psychiatric Research I, 219–224.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wechsler, D. (1958). The Measurement and Appraisal of Adult Intelligence (4th edn). Williams & Wilkins: Baltimore.Google Scholar
Wilkinson, A. & Carlen, P. L. (1983). Recoverability in recently abstinent alcoholics: results of repeated neuropsychological, EEG, CT-Scan, and neurological examination.Paper presented at the Eleventh Annual Meeting of the International Neuropsychological Society,Mexico City.Google Scholar