Vitamin D may improve cognition for people at risk of dementia

A recent study indicates that higher intake of vitamin D supplements could lead to better cognitive function in adults with an increased risk of dementia. The study involved 54 participants, primarily experiencing sleep disturbances and mild cognitive impairments, which are early signs of dementia. Among these participants, those who consumed at least 5,000 IU of vitamin D daily displayed a more than 13% improvement in cognitive function, compared to those who did not.

This improvement was even taken into consideration for other influencing factors. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a widely-used tool to detect the risk of developing dementia. It assesses memory and thinking skills, and the study found that lower daily doses of vitamin D did not result in higher cognitive scores. This suggests that the timing of the intervention is crucial.

MCI, a stage between normal cognitive aging and dementia, presents an opportunity for intervention when cognitive changes begin to emerge, but there are still opportunities to support brain health. Victoria Pak, the senior author of the study and a professor at Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, emphasizes this potential window for intervention.

The study also found that cognitive performance was not affected by the form of vitamin D, whether it was D2 or D3. Vitamin D plays a vital role in muscle and nerve function, and it can also impact sleep quality and sleep-wake cycles. Additionally, 50% of individuals with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease report experiencing sleep disturbances, indicating a connection between sleep deprivation and cognitive decline.

This is the first study to explore the relationship between vitamin D supplement intake and cognitive function in a high-risk population with both MCI and sleep disturbances. The research was funded by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health.