Brain function mediates the association between low vitamin D and neurocognitive status in female patients with major depressive disorder

Abstract

Background Vitamin D is engaged in various neural processes, with low vitamin D linked to depression and cognitive dysfunction. There are gender differences in depression and vitamin D level. However, the relationship between depression, gender, vitamin D, cognition, and brain function has yet to be determined. Methods One hundred and twenty-two patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 119 healthy controls underwent resting-state functional MRI and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) was calculated to assess brain function. Serum concentration of vitamin D (SCVD) and cognition (i.e. prospective memory and sustained attention) were also measured. Results We found a significant group-by-gender interaction effect on SCVD whereby MDD patients showed a reduction in SCVD relative to controls in females but not males. Concurrently, there was a female-specific association of SCVD with cognition and MDD-related fALFF alterations in widespread brain regions. Remarkably, MDD- and SCVD-related fALFF changes mediated the relation between SCVD and cognition in females. Conclusion Apart from providing insights into the neural mechanisms by which low vitamin D contributes to cognitive impairment in MDD in a gender-dependent manner, these findings might have clinical implications for assignment of female patients with MDD and cognitive dysfunction to adjuvant vitamin D supplementation therapy, which may ultimately advance a precision approach to personalized antidepressant choice.

Vitamin D Level in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients in Saudi Arabia and Its Correlation With Disease Activity and Mood Changes

“…(19) Besides, there was no significant difference between the two groups for the duration of well. (21 and 22) The link between the vitamin D deficiency in RA patients in both groups found that there was high significance between low vitamin D and the psychological parameters in the form of total Beck scale and most of the mood change variables (except for the sleep disturbance) (23) . While the group which had normal vitamin D showed better psychological performance and impact.…”

Exploring the role of vitamin D in cognitive function: mediation by depression with diabetes modulation in older U.S. adults, a NHANES weighted analysis

“…Detailed interview protocols and measurement methodologies are described in the NHANES documentation. 2…”

“…Vitamin D, a fat-soluble steroid, has been demonstrated to have profound effects on physical and mental health due to its significant roles in the cardiovascular, endocrine, and nervous systems. The relationship between vitamin D levels and depression is supported by both the presence of vitamin D-related components in brain tissue and the plausible biological mechanisms through which vitamin D influences neurological functions ( 2 , 3 ). These mechanisms include the regulation of neurotransmitter synthesis, which is crucial for neurological functions stabilization, and the modulation of inflammatory responses, which have been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression ( 2 , 3 ).…”

“…The relationship between vitamin D levels and depression is supported by both the presence of vitamin D-related components in brain tissue and the plausible biological mechanisms through which vitamin D influences neurological functions ( 2 , 3 ). These mechanisms include the regulation of neurotransmitter synthesis, which is crucial for neurological functions stabilization, and the modulation of inflammatory responses, which have been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression ( 2 , 3 ). Two follow-up cohort studies have found that vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for depression in the elderly ( 4 , 5 ).…”

Neural mechanism of the relationship between sleep efficiency and clinical improvement in major depressive disorder: A longitudinal functional magnetic resonance imaging study

“…Moreover, fALFF has been widely used in the study of depression due to its ability to effectively suppress non-specific signal components and improve sensitivity and specificity compared with ALFF. It has achieved remarkable success in unraveling abnormalities of local neural activity in this condition (11)(12)(13)(14)(15), as well as investigated the antidepressant treatment neural effects and their relationships with improvement of clinical in a longitudinal manner (16)(17)(18). Despite these promising findings, however, the effect of antidepressant treatment on neural activity in depression is quite complex and needs to be further revealed.…”