The Role of Vitamin B12 in the Management and Optimization of Treatment in Patients With Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy

Study Design:Narrative review.Objectives:To discuss the relationship between degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) and vitamin B12 deficiency. Specifically, it is the aim to outline the rational for future research into assessment and therapeutic optimization of vitamin B12 in the treatment of DCM.Methods:Literature review.Results:DCM is the commonest cause of spinal cord impairment, with an average age of presentation in the sixth decade. Patients at this age have also been reported to have a high prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency, with estimates of up to 20% in the elderly. Vitamin B12 deficiency can result in subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord (SACD), and several case reports have pointed to patients with both DCM and SACD. Both SACD and reversible compressive injury due to DCM necessitate remyelination in the spinal cord, a process that requires adequate vitamin B12 levels. Basic science research on nerve crush injuries have shown that vitamin B12 levels are altered after nerve inju...