The Synaptic and Circuit Functions of Vitamin D in Neurodevelopment Disorders

Abstract

Xiaoshan Ye,1,* Qionglin Zhou,2,* Pengcheng Ren,1,3,4 Wei Xiang,1,3 Le Xiao1 1Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, School of Pediatrics, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, People’s Republic of China; 2International School of Public Health and One Health, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, People’s Republic of China; 3National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Control of Tropical Diseases, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, People’s Republic of China; 4School of Basic Medicine and Life Science, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workThese authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Le Xiao; Wei Xiang, Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is a public health issue around the world. According to epidemiological studies, low vitamin D levels have been associated with an increased risk of some neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Animal models reveal that vitamin D has a variety of impacts on the synapses and circuits in the brain. A lack of vitamin D affects the expression of synaptic proteins, as well as the synthesis and metabolism of various neurotransmitters. Depending on where vitamin D receptors (VDRs) are expressed, vitamin D may also regulate certain neuronal circuits through the endocannabinoid signaling, mTOR pathway and oxytocin signaling. While inconsistently, some data suggest that vitamin D supplementation may be able to reduce the core symptoms of ASD and ADHD. This review emphasizes vitamin D’s role in the synaptic and circuit mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disorders including ASD and ADHD. Future application of vitamin D in these disorders will depend on both basic research and clinical studies, in order to make the transition from the bench to the bedside.Keywords: vitamin D, neurodevelopmental disorders, autism spectrum disorder, ASD, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, synapses, circuits

Keywords

• vitamin d
• neurodevelopmental disorders
• autism spectrum disorder
• asd
• attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
• adhd
• synapses
• circuits