Vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Sunlight exposure and high vitamin D status have been hypothesised to reduce the risk of developing dementia. The objective of our research was to determine whether lack of sunlight and hypovitaminosis D over time are associated with dementia.

Methods

We systematically searched MEDLINE (via PubMed), Cochrane Library, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, ICONDA, and reference lists of pertinent review articles from 1990 to October 2015. We conducted random effects meta-analyses of published and unpublished data to evaluate the influence of sunlight exposure or vitamin D as a surrogate marker on dementia risk.

Results

We could not identify a single study investigating the association between sunlight exposure and dementia risk. Six cohort studies provided data on

SUBMITTER: Sommer I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5237198 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature