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Vitamin B12 deficiency is the cause of several forms of anemia. The treatment for this disease was first devised by William Murphy who bled dogs to make them anemic and then fed them various substances to see what (if anything) would make them healthy again. He discovered that ingesting large amounts of liver seemed to cure the disease. George Minot and George Whipple then set about to chemically isolate the curative substance and ultimately were able to isolate vitamin B12 from the liver. For this, all three shared the 1934 Nobel Prize in Medicine.
Vitamin B12 is mostly absorbed in the terminal ileumIn anatomy of the digestive system, the ileum (not to be confused with the ilium, a pelvic bone), is the final section of the small intestine. It is about 4m long in humans, follows the jejunum and is separated from the cecum by the iliocecal valve (ICV).. The production of intrinsic factorIntrinsic factor is a glycoprotein produced by the parietal cells of the stomach. It is necessary for the absorption of vitamin B12. Problems with intrinsic factor function can cause pernicious anaemia. in the stomach is vital to absorption of this vitamin. Megaloblastic anemia can result from inadequate intake of vitamin B12, inadequate production of intrinsic factor ( pernicious anemia), disorders of the terminal ileum resulting in malabsorption, or by competition for available B12 (such as fish tapeworms or bacteria present in the blind loop syndrome). Neurological signs of B12 deficiency, which can occur without accompanying hematologic abnormalities, include demyelination and irreversible nerve cell death. Symptoms include numbness or tingling of the extremities and an ataxic gait.
The American Psychiatric AssociationThe American Psychiatric Association is a professional organization of psychiatrists whose members are American and international physicians who are trained in psychiatry. The association is responsible for various journals and pamphlets, as well as the b's American Journal of Psychiatry has published studies showing a relationship between depressionIt is common to feel sad, discouraged, or "down" once in a while, and anyone in this state might say they are suffering from depression. But for some people, this mood persists. For depression, or any other condition, to be termed "clinical" it must reach levels and deficient vitamin B12 blood levels in elderly people in 2000This page is about the year 2000. See 2000 AD for the UK comic book, Number 2000 for other uses. 2000 is a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar), and also the International Year for a Culture of Peace''. Events Y2K passes without the seri [1] and 20022002 is a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). 2002 was the first palindromic year since 1991 and the last until 2112. 2002 was also designated: International Year of Ecotourism and Mountains National Science Year in the United Kingdom [2].