1. Low vitamin D levels predict clinical features of schizophrenia.
- Author
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Cieslak K, Feingold J, Antonius D, Walsh-Messinger J, Dracxler R, Rosedale M, Aujero N, Keefe D, Goetz D, Goetz R, and Malaspina D
- Subjects
- Adult, Aggression physiology, Comorbidity, Female, Humans, Leukocytes cytology, Male, Middle Aged, Psychotic Disorders blood, Psychotic Disorders epidemiology, Schizophrenia blood, Schizophrenia epidemiology, Sex Factors, Vitamin D, Vitamin D Deficiency epidemiology, Psychotic Disorders physiopathology, Schizophrenia physiopathology, Social Adjustment, Telomere Shortening physiology, Vitamin D Deficiency blood
- Abstract
Vitamin D plays crucial roles in neuroprotection and neurodevelopment, and low levels are commonly associated with schizophrenia. We considered if the association was spurious or causal by examining the association of Vitamin D with Leukocyte Telomere Length (LTL), a marker of cellular aging. Vitamin D levels in 22 well-characterized schizophrenia cases were examined with respect to symptoms, cognition, and functioning. LTL was assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The results showed that 91% (20) had deficient or insufficient Vitamin D levels, which were associated with excitement and grandiosity, social anhedonia, and poverty of speech. Sex-specific analyses showed strong associations of hypovitamintosis D to negative symptoms and decreased premorbid adjustment in males, and to lesser hallucinations and emotional withdrawal, but increased anti-social aggression in females. In females LTL was furthermore associated with Vitamin D levels. This study demonstrates a relationship of low vitamin D levels with increased cellular aging in females. It is also the first study to demonstrate potential sex-specific profiles among schizophrenia cases with hypovitaminosis., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2014
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