Serum Vitamin D Deficiency as a Predictor of Incident Non-Alzheimer Dementias: A 7-Year Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Background: Hypovitaminosis D has been cross-sectionally associated with dementia and stroke. The objective of this longitudinal study was to determine whether serum vitamin D deficiency at baseline could predict the onset of non-Alzheimer dementias (NAD) within 7 years among older women. Methods: Forty high-functioning older women (78.4 years, 76.4/82.0; median, 25th/75th percentile) from the EPIDOS Toulouse study were divided into two groups based on vitamin D deficiency (i.e., serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D <10 ng/ml) at baseline. At the end of the 7-year follow-up period, women matching the DSM-IV but not the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria were diagnosed with NAD while those matching the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria were considered to have Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Subtle cognitive impairments at baseline, cardiovascular risk factors and Parkinson’s disease were used as potential confounders. Results: NAD was reported in 6 women (82.8 years, 80.6/86.0) after 7 years of follow-up. More NAD were observed in women with vitamin D deficiency (p = 0.023). There was no between-group difference regarding the onset of AD (p = 0.332). We found an association between vitamin D deficiency at baseline and the onset of NAD (adjusted odds ratio = 19.57, p = 0.042). Conversely, vitamin D deficiency was not associated with AD (p = 0.222). Conclusion: Baseline vitamin D deficiency predicted the onset of NAD within 7 years among older women.

Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and cognitive functioning

“…The results of longitudinal studies in communitydwelling older persons are contradictory. To our knowledge, six longitudinal studies have been published up till now, some reporting statistically significant associations between serum 25(OH)D and cognitive decline (Llewellyn et al, 2010;Annweiler et al, 2011;Slinin et al, 2012;Perna et al, 2014), and others not (Slinin et al, 2010;Breitling et al, 2012). Our results are in agreement with the studies showing no statistically significant longitudinal associations.…”

Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and cognitive functioning

“…The results of longitudinal studies in communitydwelling older persons are contradictory. To our knowledge, six longitudinal studies have been published up till now, some reporting statistically significant associations between serum 25(OH)D and cognitive decline (Llewellyn et al, 2010;Annweiler et al, 2011;Slinin et al, 2012;Perna et al, 2014), and others not (Slinin et al, 2010;Breitling et al, 2012). Our results are in agreement with the studies showing no statistically significant longitudinal associations.…”

Low Serum Vitamin D Status Is Associated with Incident Alzheimer’s Dementia in the Oldest Old

“…Vitamin D—our finding that low status of vitamin D is associated with an increased incidence of all-cause dementia and incident AD is consistent with previous population-based longitudinal studies [ 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ]. The Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) reported that vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency vs. vitamin D sufficiency were associated with an increased incidence of all-cause dementia and AD [ 35 ].…”

Association of Serum Vitamin D with the Risk of Incident Dementia and Subclinical Indices of Brain Aging: The Framingham Heart Study

“…A study of 498 women found that higher dietary intake of vita-min D was associated with a lower 7-year risk of AD [29]. However, in line with our study, a reanalysis of 40 women with available serum showed that, unlike vitamin D dietary intakes, serum 25(OH)D concentrations were not associated with the onset of AD after 7 years [28]. Although we did not find associations between vitamin D and incident dementia, we did find that low vitamin D concentrations were associated with poorer executive function, processing speed and visuoperceptual skills, but not verbal or visual memory.…”

“…A study of 498 women found that higher dietary intake of vitamin D was associated with a lower 7-year risk of AD [29]. However, in line with our study, a reanalysis of 40 women with available serum showed that, unlike vitamin D dietary intakes, serum 25(OH)D concentrations were not associated with the onset of AD after 7 years [28]. …”

Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and cognitive functioning

“…The results of longitudinal studies in communitydwelling older persons are contradictory. To our knowledge, six longitudinal studies have been published up till now, some reporting statistically significant associations between serum 25(OH)D and cognitive decline (Llewellyn et al, 2010;Annweiler et al, 2011;Slinin et al, 2012;Perna et al, 2014), and others not (Slinin et al, 2010;Breitling et al, 2012). Our results are in agreement with the studies showing no statistically significant longitudinal associations.…”

Low Serum Vitamin D Status Is Associated with Incident Alzheimer’s Dementia in the Oldest Old

“…Vitamin D—our finding that low status of vitamin D is associated with an increased incidence of all-cause dementia and incident AD is consistent with previous population-based longitudinal studies [ 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ]. The Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) reported that vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency vs. vitamin D sufficiency were associated with an increased incidence of all-cause dementia and AD [ 35 ].…”

Association of Serum Vitamin D with the Risk of Incident Dementia and Subclinical Indices of Brain Aging: The Framingham Heart Study

“…A study of 498 women found that higher dietary intake of vita-min D was associated with a lower 7-year risk of AD [29]. However, in line with our study, a reanalysis of 40 women with available serum showed that, unlike vitamin D dietary intakes, serum 25(OH)D concentrations were not associated with the onset of AD after 7 years [28]. Although we did not find associations between vitamin D and incident dementia, we did find that low vitamin D concentrations were associated with poorer executive function, processing speed and visuoperceptual skills, but not verbal or visual memory.…”

“…A study of 498 women found that higher dietary intake of vitamin D was associated with a lower 7-year risk of AD [29]. However, in line with our study, a reanalysis of 40 women with available serum showed that, unlike vitamin D dietary intakes, serum 25(OH)D concentrations were not associated with the onset of AD after 7 years [28]. …”

Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and cognitive functioning

“…The results of longitudinal studies in communitydwelling older persons are contradictory. To our knowledge, six longitudinal studies have been published up till now, some reporting statistically significant associations between serum 25(OH)D and cognitive decline (Llewellyn et al, 2010;Annweiler et al, 2011;Slinin et al, 2012;Perna et al, 2014), and others not (Slinin et al, 2010;Breitling et al, 2012). Our results are in agreement with the studies showing no statistically significant longitudinal associations.…”

Low Serum Vitamin D Status Is Associated with Incident Alzheimer’s Dementia in the Oldest Old

“…Vitamin D—our finding that low status of vitamin D is associated with an increased incidence of all-cause dementia and incident AD is consistent with previous population-based longitudinal studies [ 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ]. The Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) reported that vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency vs. vitamin D sufficiency were associated with an increased incidence of all-cause dementia and AD [ 35 ].…”

Association of Serum Vitamin D with the Risk of Incident Dementia and Subclinical Indices of Brain Aging: The Framingham Heart Study

“…A study of 498 women found that higher dietary intake of vita-min D was associated with a lower 7-year risk of AD [29]. However, in line with our study, a reanalysis of 40 women with available serum showed that, unlike vitamin D dietary intakes, serum 25(OH)D concentrations were not associated with the onset of AD after 7 years [28]. Although we did not find associations between vitamin D and incident dementia, we did find that low vitamin D concentrations were associated with poorer executive function, processing speed and visuoperceptual skills, but not verbal or visual memory.…”

“…A study of 498 women found that higher dietary intake of vitamin D was associated with a lower 7-year risk of AD [29]. However, in line with our study, a reanalysis of 40 women with available serum showed that, unlike vitamin D dietary intakes, serum 25(OH)D concentrations were not associated with the onset of AD after 7 years [28]. …”