title: Does vitamin C deficiency result in impaired brain development in infants?
abstract: Scurvy, the rare but potentially mortal manifestation of severe and prolonged lack of vitamin C, is often confused with hypovitaminosis C, i.e. the mere definition of vitamin C deficiency. While the latter condition can be diagnosed in millions, the clinical consequences (if they exist) remain largely unknown, since only a tiny fraction of those deficient in vitamin C actually develop clinical scurvy. Is hypovitaminosis C itself a problem at all then? Yes, it may well be in some cases. Recent data from our laboratory suggest that the neonatal brain is particularly susceptible to vitamin C deficiency and that this condition may adversely affect early brain development.
authors.affiliation: Section of Biomedicine, Department of Disease Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Pernille
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tveden-Nyborg
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lykkesfeldt
mesh_terms: D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D001206:Ascorbic Acid Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008954:Models, Biological; D012614:Scurvy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D001205:Ascorbic Acid