The psychotropic effect of vitamin D supplementation on schizophrenia symptoms

Abstract

Background Schizophrenia is a multifactorial disease involving interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Vitamin D has recently been linked to many metabolic diseases and schizophrenia. Vitamin D plays essential roles in the brain in the context of neuroplasticity, neurotransmitter biosynthesis, neuroprotection, and neurotransmission. Vitamin D receptors are demonstrated in most brain regions that are related to schizophrenia. However, very few studies in the literature examine the effects of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) on schizophrenia symptoms. Methods This study aimed to examine the effects of vitamin D replacement on positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. Serum 25OHD levels of 52 schizophrenia patients were measured. SANS and SAPS were used to evaluate the severity of schizophrenia symptoms, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test: CV4 was used for cognitive assessment. The study was completed with 40 patients for various reasons. The patients whose serum 25OHD reached optimal levels after vitamin D replacement were reevaluated with the same scales in terms of symptom severity. The SPSS 25 package program was used for statistical analysis. The Independent-Samples t-test was used to examine the relationship between the variables that may affect vitamin D levels and the vitamin D level and to examine whether vitamin D levels had an initial effect on the scale scores. Results The mean plasma 25OHD levels of the patients was 17.87 ± 5.54. A statistically significant relationship was found only between the duration of sunlight exposure and 25 OHD level (p < 0.05). The mean SANS and SAPS scores of the participants after 25OHD replacement (23.60 ± 15.51 and 7.78 ± 8.84, respectively) were statistically significantly lower than mean SANS and SAPS scores before replacement (51.45 ± 17.96 and 18.58 ± 15.59, respectively) (p < 0.001 for all). Only the total attention score was significantly improved after replacement (p < 0.05). Conclusion The data obtained from our study suggest that eliminating the 25OHD deficiency together with antipsychotic treatment can improve the total attention span and positive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia. The 25OHD levels should be regularly measured, replacement should be started when necessary, and the patients should be encouraged to get sunlight exposure to keep optimal 25OHD levels.

Vitamin D - a key to reducing the risk of suicide?

“…Clinical assessment scales such as the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) and the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS) have shown positive effects when Vitamin D is added to the treatment. These results provide promising possibilities for treatment [45].…”

Temporal trends of blood-based markers in various mental disorders and their relationship with brain structure

“…Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the level of vitamin D and the volume of the medial orbitofrontal cortex, as well as a negative correlation with the ICVF value of PPOC, MCP, and forceps major. Previous studies have also found that vitamin D supplementation can improve total attention span and positive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia [53] . Therefore, individuals at high risk of schizophrenia and depression should be encouraged to obtain sunlight exposure to maintain optimal vitamin D levels.…”

Co‐administration of probiotic and vitamin D significantly improves cognitive function in schizophrenic patients: A double‐blinded randomized controlled trial

“…Neriman et al. reported the same results in schizophrenic patients after 8 weeks of vitamin D supplementation with dosage of 50 000 IU per week 27 . Vitamin D supplementation in vitamin D deficient individuals improves mental health but such beneficial effects in healthy adults are not provided by literature.…”

“…reported the same results in schizophrenic patients after 8 weeks of vitamin D supplementation with dosage of 50 000 IU per week. 27 Vitamin D supplementation in vitamin D deficient individuals improves mental health but such beneficial effects in healthy adults are not provided by literature. It has been shown that the co‐administration of vitamin D and probiotic had higher health benefits, such as mental health, than its comparators did.…”