Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is associated with cognitive executive function in Dutch prefrail and frail elderly: a cross-sectional study exploring the associations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D with glucose metabolism, cognitive performance and depression.
OBJECTIVE
The primary objective was to explore the possible association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) and vitamin D intake with markers of glucose metabolism, depression, and cognitive performance. In addition, we examined to what extent the associations between vitamin D and cognitive performance were modified or mediated by fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study using data of 127 frail or prefrail Dutch elderly, aged 65 years or older. Frailty was defined according to the criteria of Fried and colleagues. A participant was classified prefrail when 1 to 2 criteria were met; frailty was classified as the presence of 3 or more criteria.


METHODS
Associations of 25(OH)D and vitamin D intake with markers of glucose metabolism and domain-specific cognitive performance were examined by multivariable regression analyses. The possible association of vitamin D with depression and global cognitive performance was explored by Poisson regression.


RESULTS
No associations were observed for 25(OH)D with FPG, fasting plasma insulin (FPI), Homeostasis Model Assessment-estimated Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), or depression. In contrast, serum 25(OH)D was positively associated with executive functioning (β 0.007, P = .01) and tended to be associated with information-processing speed (β 0.006, P = .06). FPG did not modify or mediate these associations. Vitamin D intake was not associated with cognitive performance, glucose metabolism, or depression.


CONCLUSIONS
This cross-sectional study suggests an association of serum 25(OH)D with domain-specific cognitive performance, in particular executive functioning and possibly information-processing speed, but not with FPG, FPI, HOMA-IR, or depression. Whether these associations are causal is yet to be demonstrated.
Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: Elske.Brouwer-brolsma@wur.nl.
Elske M
EM
Brouwer-Brolsma
Ondine
O
van de Rest
Michael
M
Tieland
Nikita L
NL
van der Zwaluw
Wilma T
WT
Steegenga
Jos J
JJ
Adam
Luc J C
LJ
van Loon
Edith J M
EJ
Feskens
Lisette C P G M
LC
de Groot
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood*; D004032:Diet; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D013472:Sunlight; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood
D001786:Blood Glucose; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D
Vitamin D; aging; cognition; cross-sectional; depression; glucose metabolism