In the following study the researchers investigated whether low vitamin D levels were associated with gray matter volumes, whole brain volumes and hippocampus volumes (Terock J, et.al., 2023).
Structural MRI data and vitamin D levels were obtained for the 1,865 participants, and this was what they found.
Vitamin D deficiency was significantly associated with increased brain age. Also, linear vitamin D levels were significantly associated with total brain and gray matter volumes. This was only significant for male participants.
The results suggest neuroprotective effects of vitamin D on the brain.
Reference
Jan Terock, Sarah Bonk, Stefan Frenzel, Katharina Wittfeld, Linda Garvert, Norbert Hosten, Matthias Nauck, Henry Völzke, Sandra Van der Auwera, Hans Joergen Grabe. Vitamin D deficit is associated with accelerated brain aging in the general population. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging. 2022 Dec;327:111558.