Higher serum vitamin D3 levels are associated with better cognitive test performance in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
OBJECTIVE
Recent studies suggest that vitamin D metabolites may be important for preserving cognitive function via specific neuroprotective effects. No large studies have examined the association between vitamin D status and cognition.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) levels and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) test scores of 225 older outpatients who were diagnosed as having probable Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition to the 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) levels, we analyzed the serum vitamin B(1), B(6) and B(12) levels.


RESULTS
An association was found between MMSE test scores and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) levels, with a beta-coefficient of 0.05 (p = 0.01). Vitamin-D-sufficient patients had significantly higher MMSE scores as compared to vitamin-D-insufficient ones. No association was found with the other serum vitamin levels.


CONCLUSIONS
These data support the idea that a relationship exists between vitamin D status and cognition in patients with probable AD. However, given the cross-sectional design of this study, no causality can be concluded. Further prospective studies are needed to specify the contribution of vitamin D status to the onset and course of cognitive decline and AD.
Oudshoorn
C
C
Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Geriatric Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Mattace-Raso
F U S
FU
van der Velde
N
N
Colin
E M
EM
van der Cammen
T J M
TJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000097:blood*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013831:Thiamine / Q000097:blood; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood; D025101:Vitamin B 6 / Q000097:blood
D002762:Cholecalciferol; D025101:Vitamin B 6; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D013831:Thiamine