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Folic Acid & Neurotransmitters

Sep 2, 2011 | By Don Amerman

Folic acid, also known as folate and vitamin B-9, is a member of the B-complex family of vitamins that helps your body convert carbohydrates into glucose, the fuel your body burns to produce energy. Folic acid is water-soluble and is not stored in the body, thus its supply must constantly be replenished through dietary intake. Researchers have found a close relationship between folic acid and the monoamine neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin, which help regulate mood and cognition.

Rotterdam Study

A team of Dutch researchers undertook a large-scale study to determine the relationship of folate, vitamin B-12 and homocysteine to depression among the elderly. The team’s interest in B-12 and folate was based on the role the two nutrients play in the one-carbon metabolism essential for the production of monoamine neurotransmitters. In the so-called Rotterdam Study, the research team screened 3,884 elderly people for signs of depression. They identified 278 persons with depressive symptoms and randomly selected another 416 subjects for reference purposes. Researchers tested all 694 subjects for blood levels of folate, vitamin B-12 and homocysteine. Subjects with depressive symptoms showed consistently deficient levels of folate and vitamin B-12 and elevated levels of homocysteine.
In an article in the December 2002 issue of “The American Journal of Psychiatry,” researchers observed that the association of B-12 and folate with depressive symptoms may spring from somewhat different mechanisms. They suggested that while B-12 may be causally linked to depression, the relationship of folate to depression may be due to physical comorbidity.

More Studies Urged

In a review of the scientific literature covering studies on the link between vitamin B-12 and folate deficiencies and mental and neurologic disorders, Donald S. Robinson, M.D., emphasized the key role these nutrients play in the synthesis of monoamine neurotransmitters. However, he observed that studies on the relationship between deficiencies in these nutrients and depression have produced mixed results, with some depressed patients exhibiting normal levels of both B-12 and folate. In an article in a 2009 issue of “Primary Psychiatry,” he said more long-term studies are needed to confirm whether supplementation of these two nutrients would be effective in preventing or treating depression.

Folic Acid and Acetylcholine

Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that has a major role in cognitive function, particularly memory, and muscular coordination. A team of U.S. and Canadian researchers at Boston area colleges conducted an animal study to determine what, if any, effect folate deficiency had on acetylcholine levels. In reporting their findings in the April 2008 issue of “The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging,” researchers said they found a definite link between folate deficiency and a decline in levels of S-adenosyl methionine, or SAM, which in turn led to lowered levels of acetylcholine.

Link to Alzheimer's

In a March 2002 press release, the National Institute on Aging pointed to a possible link between folate deficiency and Alzheimer’s disease, a condition in which neurotransmitter dysfunction or breakdown plays a key role. Citing a study that showed consistently low folate levels in mice with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms, the institute said that it’s not altogether clear whether the folate deficiency led to Alzheimer’s or developed as a result of the disease. However, it suggested that eating a diet with adequate levels of folic acid could help to protect the aging brain from Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

References

Article reviewed by S.C. Ville Last updated on: Sep 2, 2011

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