title: Vitamin D and cognition in older adults: an update of recent findings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ageing is a generally known risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia. Underlying mechanisms are expected to be multifactorial, but the exact causes are still elusive. This article reviews the potential role of vitamin D in brain function by presenting an overview of recently published mechanistic, rodent as well as human studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There is emerging evidence that suggests a beneficial role for vitamin D in brain physiology, for instance by the promotion of neurotransmission, neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, amyloid clearance and the prevention of neuronal death. In addition, several observational studies have shown associations between higher serum vitamin D concentrations and better cognitive performance. To date, imaging studies and randomized controlled trials are scarce, but these studies are expected to fulfil a crucial role towards a better understanding on vitamin D-mediated brain processes in the future.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite accumulating evidence supporting a role of vitamin D in brain function, only a handful of human trials have been performed. Consequently, the question whether the association between vitamin D, cognitive decline and dementia is causal cannot be sufficiently answered yet.
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Elske M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Brouwer-Brolsma
authors.forename: Lisette C P G M
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: de Groot
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000378:metabolism*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D