Inflammation of small blood vessels in the brain is associated with low vitamin D

Created April 2023

Low vitamin D status is associated with inflammatory response in older patients with cerebral small vessel disease

J Neuroimmunol . 2023 Apr 15;377:578057. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2023.578057

  (behind a paywall), free access to citations

Manjunath Supriya 1, Rita Christopher 2, Puttachandra Prabhakar 1, Sadanandavalli Retnaswami Chandra 3

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the association of the NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway with vitamin D status in older cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) patients.

Methods: We measured serum 25(OH)D, pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and mRNA levels of the vitamin D-activating enzyme, CYP27B1, as well as NF-kB, COX-2, the chemokine-CCL2, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, TGF-β, and IL-10, in cerebral SVD patients aged ≥60 years presenting with vascular dementia and age and gender-matched healthy controls.

Results: Low vitamin D status (insufficiency: serum 25(OH)D 12-20 ng/ml; deficiency: ≤12 ng/ml) was more prevalent among patients compared to controls. The mRNA levels of NF-kB, COX-2, CCL2, IL-1β, and IL-6, and serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) were significantly higher in cases compared to controls. There was a significant correlation between CYP27B1 and NF-kB, COX-2, CCL2, and IL-1β gene expression. Serum IL-1α, IL-1β, and IL-6 concentrations and the expression of CCL-2, NF-kB2, and NF-kB3 genes were higher in vitamin D-deficient subjects compared to vitamin D-sufficient subjects. There was a significant negative correlation between serum 25(OH)D and IL-1α, IL-6, and TNF-α, and a positive correlation between 25(OH)D and IL-10.

Conclusion: Low vitamin D is associated with an inflammatory response via NF-kB signaling, which could play a role in the etio-pathogenesis of SVD. Further large-scale studies are required to validate our findings.

GTP-4 description of cerebral small vessel disease (April 2023)

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a term used to describe a group of conditions that affect the small blood vessels in the brain. These diseases can lead to damage in the brain's white matter, deep gray matter structures, and can cause cognitive decline, stroke, and other neurological disorders. CSVD is associated with aging and is more common in older adults, but it can also occur in younger individuals.

There are several types of cerebral small vessel disease, including:

  1. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy: A condition in which amyloid proteins build up in the walls of the brain's small blood vessels, causing them to become weak and prone to leakage or bleeding.

  2. Hypertensive arteriopathy: High blood pressure can damage the walls of small blood vessels in the brain, leading to narrowing or blockage of the vessels and reduced blood flow to the brain tissue.

  3. Lacunar stroke: A type of stroke caused by the blockage of small blood vessels in the brain, leading to the formation of small cavities or "lacunes" in the brain tissue.

Hereditary forms of small vessel disease: Some genetic mutations can lead to inherited forms of CSVD, such as CADASIL (Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy) and CARASIL (Cerebral Autosomal Recessive Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy).

Symptoms of cerebral small vessel disease can vary depending on the type and severity of the condition, and may include cognitive decline, memory problems, difficulties with balance and coordination, mood changes, and stroke-like symptoms such as sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body. Treatment usually focuses on managing risk factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol, as well as addressing the symptoms and complications that arise from the disease.

See also web

  • 25-Hydroxy vitamin D level is associated with total MRI burden of cerebral small vessel disease in ischemic stroke patients - 2019 - https://doi.org/10.1080/00207454.2018.1503182 - can probably get from xxx

    • 3.3X more likely if low vitamin D

  • Cerebral small vessel disease and vascular cognitive impairment: from diagnosis to management - April 2021 FREE PDF

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VitaminDWiki - Brain and Vitamin D - many studies 94 as of March 2023

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Tags: Cognitive Stroke