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.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 543-545 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Schizophrenia Research |
Volume | 159 |
Issue number | 2-3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 1 2014 |
Keywords
- Aggression
- Hypovitaminosis D
- Negative symptoms
- Schizophrenia
- Telomere length
- Vitamin D
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Biological Psychiatry