VITAMIN-B12 METABOLISM AND MASSIVE-DOSE METHYL VITAMIN-B12 THERAPY INJAPANESE PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS

Serum vitamin B12 levels and unsaturated vitamin B12 binding capacitie s were measured in 24 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), 73 patien ts with other neurological disorders and 21 healthy subjects. There wa s no decrease in the vitamin B12 levels, however, a significant decrea se in the unsaturated vitamin B12 binding capacities was observed in p atients with MS when compared with other groups. A massive dose of met hyl vitamin B12 (60 mg every day for 6 months) was administered to 6 p atients with chronic progressive MS, a disease which usually had a mor bid prognosis and widespread demyelination in the central nervous syst em. Although the motor disability did not improve clinically, the abno rmalities in both the visual and brainstem auditory evoked potentials improved more frequently during the therapy than in the pre-treatment period. We therefore consider that a massive dose methyl vitamin B12 t herapy may be useful as an adjunct to immunosuppressive treatment for chronic progressive MS.