Vitamin D Status Over Time and Cognitive Function in Norwegian Older Adults: A Prospective Cohort of the HUNT Study

Abstract

Background There is conflicting evidence regarding the association between vitamin D status and cognitive function in population studies. The use of one-time vitamin D measurement in cognitive health studies may not reflect long-term vitamin D status in the body. Objective We aimed to examine the relationship of vitamin D status measured over time with the risk of neurocognitive disorders (NCDs) in Norwegian older adults. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Regional, Trøndelag Health Study. Participants This study followed a random cohort of 717 participants from HUNT2 (1995–97) and HUNT3 (2006–08) to HUNT4 70+ (2017–19). The mean age at HUNT4 70+ was 77.7 years. Methods Seasonal-standardized serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels in HUNT2 and HUNT3 were averaged and used as either a categorical variable (<50 and ≥50 nmol/L) or a continuous variable (per 25 nmol/L decrease). In the cohort aged 70 years or over (HUNT4 70+), NCDs consisting of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia were diagnosed by clinical experts according to the DSM-5 criteria. Logistic and linear regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and regression coefficients (beta) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to assess the relationship between 25(OH) D levels and the risk of NCDs or the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score. Results In total, 347 (48.4%) had NCDs in HUNT4, with 33.3% having MCI and 15.1% having dementia. Compared with participants with serum 25(OH)D ≥50 nmol/L, those with 25(OH)D <50 nmol/L had a similar risk of NCDs (OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.46). No association was observed with the risk of MCI (OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.44) or dementia (OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.70 to 1.92), respectively. In a subsample of participants evaluated with the MoCA (n=662), a 25 nmol/L decrease in serum 25(OH)D was not associated with a change in MoCA score (beta 0.33, 95% CI −0.17 to 0.85). Conclusion Vitamin D insufficiency defined by two times measurements of serum 25(OH)D with a 10-year interval was not associated with the risk of NCDs in a cohort of older Norwegian adults. Future studies utilizing multiple vitamin D measurements with a longer follow-up duration and larger sample size are warranted.