Hi Jo,

I'm so sorry to hear about your MIL.

Yes, this is something obviously best considered early in the diagnosis process. B12 deficiency does have a genetic component when caused by Pernicious Anemia, and I've read about 10% of Alzheimers disease is considered familial, so this may be an important consideration for other family members to keep tucked away in the awful event another family member would be affected. Vitamin B12 deficiency, left untreated, is neurodegenerative and can lead to death...and it frequently goes undetected.

My hope is that perhaps some people who are in the early stages of the diagnosis/disease themselves, or have a family member or friend in early stages of disease, might read this before it is too late. I realize that anyone with late stage AD won't likely be reading here, or helped by this information.

I've watched my best friend just go through losing her her mother with AD, and my SIL lost her Grandma with AD a couple of years ago. It seems everyone knows somebody affected.

Again, I'm so sorry your family is dealing with this on such an intimate level.

Cara