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

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.