Review article

Vitamin B Complex in Psychiatry

Daniela Bundalo
Azijada Srkalović Imširagić

Abstract

This paper describes potential eff ects of vitamin B complex in the following psychiatric entities: depression, schizophrenia and alcoholism. Vitamin B2 (ribofl avin) defi ciency is associated with depression and is one of the most frequent hypovitaminoses related with the insuffi cient consumption of milk and dairy products. Along with nutritional folate defi ciency, vitamin B 12 malabsorption is common and may be related to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Alcohol abuse and alcohol withdrawal syndrome are related with a number of neuropsychiatric syndromes, some of which are etiologically related with vitamin B complex defi ciency. Consequently, the replacement of vitamin B complex plays an important role in the prophylaxis and treatment of these syndromes. This is especially important in the prevention of Wernicke’s encephalopathy. Consequently, in order to prevent Wernicke’s encephalopathy in risk patients admitted to intensive care units, the parenteral administration of 200 mg of thiamine is recommended before that of glucose or other carbohydrate solutions. In some countries, thiamine is administered parenterally before any carbohydrate infusion to all epileptic patients. The registered indication of the oral preparation of vitamin B (Plibex) in alcoholism is: treatment of hypovitaminosis and avitaminosis (beriberi, aribofl avinosis, pellagra); skin diseases, neuritis, neuralgia, polyneuritis and cardiomyopathy due to vitamin defi ciency in chronic alcoholism.

Keywords

vitamin B; depression; schizophrenia; Wernicke’s encephalopathy

Hrčak ID:

232510

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/232510

Publication date:

5.11.2013.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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