title: Low vitamin D levels predict clinical features of schizophrenia.
abstract: Vitamin D plays crucial roles in neuroprotection and neurodevelopment, and low levels are commonly associated with schizophrenia. We considered if the association was spurious or causal by examining the association of Vitamin D with Leukocyte Telomere Length (LTL), a marker of cellular aging. Vitamin D levels in 22 well-characterized schizophrenia cases were examined with respect to symptoms, cognition, and functioning. LTL was assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The results showed that 91% (20) had deficient or insufficient Vitamin D levels, which were associated with excitement and grandiosity, social anhedonia, and poverty of speech. Sex-specific analyses showed strong associations of hypovitamintosis D to negative symptoms and decreased premorbid adjustment in males, and to lesser hallucinations and emotional withdrawal, but increased anti-social aggression in females. In females LTL was furthermore associated with Vitamin D levels. This study demonstrates a relationship of low vitamin D levels with increased cellular aging in females. It is also the first study to demonstrate potential sex-specific profiles among schizophrenia cases with hypovitaminosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, InSPIRES Institute for Social and Psychiatric Initiatives, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cieslak
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, InSPIRES Institute for Social and Psychiatric Initiatives, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Jordyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feingold
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, InSPIRES Institute for Social and Psychiatric Initiatives, New York, NY, USA; University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Antonius
authors.affiliation: University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walsh-Messinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, InSPIRES Institute for Social and Psychiatric Initiatives, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dracxler
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, InSPIRES Institute for Social and Psychiatric Initiatives, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosedale
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, InSPIRES Institute for Social and Psychiatric Initiatives, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aujero
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Keefe
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, InSPIRES Institute for Social and Psychiatric Initiatives, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goetz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, InSPIRES Institute for Social and Psychiatric Initiatives, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goetz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, InSPIRES Institute for Social and Psychiatric Initiatives, New York, NY, USA; Creedmoor Psychiatric Center, NY State Office of Mental Health, Queens, NY, USA. Electronic address: Dolores.malaspina@nyumc.org.
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Malaspina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012917:Social Adjustment; D059506:Telomere Shortening / Q000502:physiology*; D014807:Vitamin D; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D
keywords: Aggression; Hypovitaminosis D; Negative symptoms; Schizophrenia; Telomere length; Vitamin D