Brain vitamin D forms, cognitive decline, and neuropathology in community-dwelling older adults
Journal of the Alzheimer's Association https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.12836
M. Kyla Shea, Kathryn Barger, Bess Dawson-Hughes, Sue E. Leurgans, Xueyan Fu, Bryan D. James, Thomas M. Holland, Puja Agarwal, Jifan Wang …
Introduction
Vitamin D purportedly protects against cognitive decline and dementia based on observational data using circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D). Little is known about vitamin D in the human brain and the association with dementia or neuropathology.
Methods
Decedents of the Rush Memory and Aging Project (n = 290) had vitamin D concentrations measured in four brain regions. Associations with cognitive and neuropathological outcomes were estimated using linear and logistic regression.
Results
The main form of vitamin D in all brain regions measured was 25(OH)D3. Higher brain 25(OH)D3 concentrations were associated with a 25% to 33% lower odds of dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at the last visit before death (all P ≤ .031). However, brain 25(OH)D concentrations were not associated with any post-mortem neuropathology outcome studied.
Discussion
Higher brain 25(OH)D3 concentrations were associated with better cognitive function prior to death. Additional research is needed to clarify the specific mechanisms underlying this potentially protective relationship.
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