Vitamin D and Cognitive Decline in Elderly Persons

Abstract

Archives of Internal Medicine Vitamin D and Risk of Cognitive Decline in Elderly Persons David J. Llewellyn, PhD; Iain A. Lang, PhD; Kenneth M. Langa, MD, PhD; Graciela Muniz-Terrera, PhD; Caroline L. Phillips, MS; Antonio Cherubini, MD; Luigi Ferrucci, MD, PhD; David Melzer, PhD Background: To our knowledge, no prospective study has examined the association between vitamin D and cognitive decline or dementia. Methods: We determined whether low levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) were associated with an increased risk of substantial cognitive decline in the InCHIANTI population-based study conducted in Italy between 1998 and 2006 with follow-up assessments every 3 years. A total of 858 adults 65 years or older completed interviews, cognitive assessments, and medical examinations and provided blood samples. Cognitive decline was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and substantial decline was defined as 3 or more points. The Trail-Making Tests A and B were also used, and substantial decline was defined as the worst 10% of the distribution of decline or as discontinued testing. Results: The multivariate adjusted relative risk (95% confidence interval [CI]) of substantial cognitive decline on the MMSE in participants who were severely serum 25(OH)D deficient (levels Conclusion: Low levels of vitamin D were associated with substantial cognitive decline in the elderly population studied over a 6-year period, which raises important new possibilities for treatment and prevention. Arch Intern Med. 2010;170(13):1135-1141.