title: Does vitamin C deficiency affect cognitive development and function?
abstract: Vitamin C is a pivotal antioxidant in the brain and has been reported to have numerous functions, including reactive oxygen species scavenging, neuromodulation, and involvement in angiogenesis. Absence of vitamin C in the brain has been shown to be detrimental to survival in newborn SVCT2(-/-) mice and perinatal deficiency have shown to reduce hippocampal volume and neuron number and cause decreased spatial cognition in guinea pigs, suggesting that maternal vitamin C deficiency could have severe consequences for the offspring. Furthermore, vitamin C deficiency has been proposed to play a role in age-related cognitive decline and in stroke risk and severity. The present review discusses the available literature on effects of vitamin C deficiency on the developing and aging brain with particular focus on in vivo experimentation and clinical studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Ridebanevej 9, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark. stine.normann.hansen@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Stine Normann
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Ridebanevej 9, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Pernille
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tveden-Nyborg
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Ridebanevej 9, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark. jopl@sund.ku.dk.
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lykkesfeldt
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D001206:Ascorbic Acid Deficiency / Q000150:complications*; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D039401:Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D014815:Vitamins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014815:Vitamins; D001205:Ascorbic Acid