title: Vitamin D deficiency disrupts neuronal integrity in cognitively impaired patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Emerging evidence suggests that low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) may induce cognitive decline and dementia, however, the pathophysiological mechanisms are poorly understood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and neuronal integrity in cognitively impaired patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred nine patients with memory impairment were divided into quartiles according to serum concentrations of 25OHD concentration, from lowest (L-25OHD) to highest (H-25OHD). The diffusion tensor images from the L-25OHD group and the H-25OHD group were assessed. A mask of regional white matter hyperintensities was obtained in the T1-weighted image space. Data were analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics with a nonlinear registration algorithm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients in the L-25OHD group had lower fractional anisotropy values compared with patients in the H-25OHD group in the frontal parts of the inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculi, cingulum bundle, corpus callosum (genu), anterior limb of the internal capsule, and anterior corona radiata (familywise error corrected, p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D deficiency is associated with disruption of neuronal integrity, primarily in frontal regions. Vitamin D deficiency may lead to the loss of neuroprotective properties in cerebral ischemia and vascular lesions, contributing to memory impairment.
authors: Department of Neurology, Konkuk University Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: Yeonsil
authors: Y
authors: Moon
authors: Department of Radiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: Won-Jin
authors: WJ
authors: Moon
authors: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: Hunki
authors: H
authors: Kwon
authors: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: Jong-Min
authors: JM
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Neurology, Konkuk University Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea Center for Geriatric Neuroscience Research, Institute of Biomedical Science, Konkuk Medical Science Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: Seol-Heui
authors: SH
authors: Han
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016880:Anisotropy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D066127:White Matter / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D
keywords: Cognitive decline; imaging; nutritional; vitamin D