Study examines vitamin D deficiency and cognition relationship

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-04/wfbm-sev041514.php

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 15-Apr-2014

Contact: Bonnie Davis
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center

Study examines vitamin D deficiency and cognition relationship

WINSTON-SALEM – April 15, 2014 – Vitamin D deficiency and cognitive impairment are common in older adults, but there isn't a lot of conclusive research into whether there's a relationship between the two.

A new study from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center published online ahead of print this month in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society enhances the existing literature on the subject.

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"With just the baseline observational data, you can't conclude that low vitamin D causes cognitive decline. When we looked four years down the road, low vitamin D was associated with worse cognitive performance on one of the two cognitive tests used," Wilson said. "It is interesting that there is this association and ultimately the next question is whether or not supplementing vitamin D would improve cognitive function over time."

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