Methylation of t-RNA: Effect of Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Rat

Effects of serum vitamin B₁₂ and folate status on episodic memory performance in very old age: A population-based study.

“…Regland (1991) argued that genetic defects may prevent vitamin B 12 and folic acid from performing their cooperative metabolic functions. It is well known that these vitamins are necessary for the metabolism of nucleic acid that controls the rate at which protein synthesis takes place (e.g., Robinson, 1966; Venkataraman et al, 1967). Given that protein synthesis in the brain is an essential process for the encoding and storage of information in episodic memory (Davis & Squire, 1984), it is tempting to speculate that the vitamin-related memory deficits were due to alterations in brain metabolism.…”

“…One hypothesis is that low levels of both vitamin B 12 and folate interact to produce central nervous system metabolic abnormalities that neither alone could generate (e.g., Green, 1988). Vitamin B 12 is necessary for the methylation of ribonucleid acid, controlling the rate at which protein synthesis takes place (e.g., Venkataraman, Walerych, & Johnson, 1967). Folic acid also participates in nucleic acid metabolism (e.g., Robinson, 1966).…”