Vitamin D concentration and focal brain atrophy in older adults: a voxel‐based morphometric study

Abstract

Abstract Vitamin D is involved in brain health and function. Our objective was to determine whether lower 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentration was associated with focal brain volume reduction in older adults. Serum 25OHD concentration was measured among 53 older adults (72 ± 5 years; 38% female; mean 25OHD = 67.3 ± 20.8 nmol/L). Gray matter volume (GMV) was automatically segmented using voxel‐based morphometry with CAT12 software. Covariables were age, gender, education, total intracranial volume, and season. Serum 25OHD was positively associated with GMV in left calcarine sulcus (P < 0.05, TFCE, FWE‐corrected). We found atrophy of the calcarine sulcus with lower 25OHD concentrations in older adults.