Cognitive impairment, which is common in older hospitalized patients, can cause problems with remembering things, concentrating, and making decisions.

A Flinders University-led study has discovered that cognitive impairment among elderly hospitalized people could be caused by low vitamin C levels, paving the path for potential treatment.

Cognitive impairment, which is common in elderly hospitalized patients, can have difficulty remembering things, concentrating, or making decisions.

According to lead author Associate Professor Yogesh Sharma, “previous research has shown that vitamin C plays a significant role in the functioning of the brain, with studies finding that vitamin C deficiency may be associated with cognitive impairment, depression and confusion.”

The researchers tested the cognitive function and vitamin C levels of 160 patients over the age of 75 who were hospitalized to the Flinders Medical Centre’s Geriatric Evaluation and Management Unit in Adelaide.

A total of 91 individuals (56.9 percent) were reported to have cognitive impairment, while 42 (26.3 percent) were vitamin C deficient, with a level below 11 micromol/L, the threshold below which scurvy might develop.

“Our findings showed that cognitive function scores were significantly lower among patients who were vitamin C deficient, with further analysis suggesting vitamin C deficiency was almost 3 times more likely to be associated with cognitive impairment after adjustment for other factors,” added the lead author.

The researchers also discovered that scurvy symptoms were likely to be present in patients with or without vitamin C deficiency. Many of these vitamin C deficiency symptoms are typical in older adults, who may experience bleeding, bruising, and skin problems due to number of other illnesses.

“It may, therefore, be difficult to diagnose vitamin C deficiency solely on looking for these particular symptoms in older hospitalized patients,” said the professor.

“Given we know vitamin C deficiency is common among older hospitalized patients, medical professionals need to remain vigilant for this condition and confirm a patient’s vitamin C status in suspected cases.”

While the study does not indicate that vitamin C deficiency is a direct cause of cognitive impairment, the authors claim that it has shown that vitamin C deficiency is prevalent and linked to cognitive impairment in older hospitalized patients.

“Further studies will be needed to confirm this link and then we can look to establish whether vitamin C replacement may be beneficial in prevention or reversal of the cognitive impairment,” said co-author Professor Campbell Thompson.

Source: 10.3390/antiox11030463

Image Credit: Getty

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