About 5.8 million people in the U.S. have Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, giving these life-altering illnesses a wide impact across the country. But while it can be devastating when a loved one shows signs of memory loss, doctors say you shouldn’t automatically assume they have dementia.
Several factors can cause a person to have classic signs of dementia, including a deficiency in vitamin B12. “Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause cognitive impairment, including impairments in thinking,” says Dr. Scott Kaiser, a geriatrician and director of Geriatric Cognitive Health for the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, CA. “That can definitely mimic signs of dementia.”
