The electroencephalogram in veganism, vegetarianism, vitamin B12 deficiency, and in controls.

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Abstract
Electroencephalograms [eeg] from 17 vegans, 18 controls, 10 vegetarians 11 patients with pernicious anemia and 2 patients with folic acid deficiency were compared. In the vegans'' records diffuse abnormalities were found of a degree that would be between that of the vegetarians and the pernicious anemia patients. Unlike the latter groups, however, the vegans'' eeg''s were not affected by high dosage vitamin B12 supplements. Present evidence does not permit one to decide whether or not the abnormalities are due to chronically low levels of serum vitamin B12, an undefined deficiency factor or a cerebral metabolic readjustment to the vegan diet. Since vegetarians have a significantly lower serum vitamin B12 level than controls and yet have normal eeg''s it is doubtful that serum vitamin B12 levels are solely responsible for eeg.