brain disease

[snoogle]

Hi, I was diagonosed with a mild micro circulation leukoencephalopathy. What does that mean?

thank you

[genesurf]

I know this is an old post, but just in case you see this-- make sure your B12 level is adequate. You should be 500 pg/ml or higher.

If you are lower than 500 pg/ml, run pernicious anemia tests first, and then supplement B12 with injections or sublinguals. The testing for PA isn't very accurate anyway, and is likely to be skewed by extra B12, so it's important to run them first. But even if the PA tests are negative, get your B12 levels above 500 pg/ml with B12 supplements, to protect your brain.

reference.medscape.com/medl...

"Vitamin B12-responsive severe leukoencephalopathy and autonomic dysfunction in a patient with "normal" serum B12 levels.

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2010; 81(12):1369-71 (ISSN: 1468-330X)

Graber JJ; Sherman FT; Kaufmann H; Kolodny EH; Sathe S

Leukoencephalopathy and autonomic dysfunction have been described in individuals with very low serum B(12) levels (<200 pg/ml), in addition to psychiatric changes, neuropathy, dementia and subacute combined degeneration. Elevated homocysteine and methylmalonic acid levels are considered more sensitive and specific for evaluating truly functional B(12) deficiency. A previously healthy 62-year-old woman developed depression and cognitive deficits with autonomic dysfunction that progressed over the course of 5 years. The patient had progressive, severe leukoencephalopathy on multiple MRI scans over 5 years. Serum B(12) levels ranged from 267 to 447 pg/ml. Homocysteine and methylmalonic acid levels were normal. Testing for antibody to intrinsic factor was positive, consistent with pernicious anaemia. After treatment with intramuscular B(12) injections (1000 μg daily for 1 week, weekly for 6 weeks, then monthly), she made a remarkable clinical recovery but remained amnesic for major events of the last 5 years. Repeat MRI showed partial resolution of white matter changes. Serum B(12), homocysteine and methylmalonic acid levels are unreliable predictors of B(12)-responsive neurologic disorders, and should be thoroughly investigated and presumptively treated in patients with unexplained leukoencephalopathy because even long-standing deficits may be reversible."

[snoogle in reply to genesurf]

Hi. Thank you for your response. I will talk with my doctor about it