Effects of vitamin D deficiency on neurobehavioural outcomes in children: a systematic review
Year: 2020
Type: review
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: Introduction: Vitamin D plays an important role in brain development in experimental studies; however, the effect of vitamin D deficiency on child development remains inadequately characterized. We aimed to estimate the effects of vitamin D deficiency on neurobehavioural outcomes in children up to 18 years of age. Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Open Grey for published studies up to 10th January 2020. We included all studies that assessed the effects of maternal or child vitamin D status or vitamin D supplementation on neurobehavioural outcomes in children. Study findings were synthesized qualitatively as the high level of heterogeneity in study populations and methodologies precluded a quantitative meta-analysis. Results: Our search identified 5,633 studies, of which 31 studies with 31,375 participants from 18 countries were included in the systematic review. Of the studies identified, one was a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of vitamin D supplementation in children, while 30 were observational. The RCT (n=55) reported a beneficial effect of supplementation with lower doses compared to higher doses of vitamin D on motor development. Twelve mother-child studies (n=17,136) and five studies in children (n=1,091) reported an association between low maternal or child 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and impaired neurobehavioural outcomes in children, while 15 mother-child studies (n=20,778) and eight studies in children (n=7,496) reported no association. Conclusions: Although animal studies point to an effect of vitamin D deficiency on brain development, there are few studies on the effects of vitamin D deficiency on neurobehavioural outcomes in children and their findings are inconsistent. There is a need for well-conducted, adequately powered studies to further determine these effects in children. Registration: PROSPERO ID CRD42018087619 ; registered on 15 February 2018.
Source: Wellcome Open Research
Institutions: University College Cork, Pwani University, Kenya Medical Research Institute, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Uganda Virus Research Institute, University of Oxford, Imperial College London, Aga Khan University Nairobi
Language: English
Topic: Vitamin D Research Studies
Subfield: Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,128
Awards: G1101575161, Abubakar;Pwani;Adolescent Executive Functioning Association with Scholastic Outcomes, Risk Taking Behavior and Medical Adherence in the Context of HIV, The impact of helminths on the response to immunisation and on the incidence of infection and disease in childhood in Uganda., G1382257660, G2003180161, G2851467953, G3375908201, Using Mendelian randomization to determine whether iron status is causally related to the risks of severe malaria and invasive bacterial infections in African children., G4255550216, The health consequences of genetic variants that have been selected by malaria, with a particular focus on polymorphisms affecting the red blood cell, Initiative to Develop African Research Leaders (IDeAL), Helminths and Allergy in Uganda., G5314309568, The impact of helminths on the response to immunisation and on susceptibility to infectious diseases in childhood in Uganda., G655865680, The health consequences of genetic variants that have been selected by malaria, with a particular focus on polymorphisms affecting the red blood cell, G7853697249, G8009821660, Core Support for the East African Major Overseas Programme, Using Mendelian randomization to determine whether iron status is causally related to the risks of severe malaria and invasive bacterial infections in African children., Investigating the influence of vitamin D status on cognitive and motor development in young African children.
OpenAlex ID: W3006348598