Potential benefits of vitamin D on brain pathologies and cognitive function in metabolic syndrome: evidence from in vivo and clinical studies.

Objectives: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a global health issue linked to cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cognitive impairment. Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress associated with MetS condition contribute to cognitive decline, highlighting the need for therapeutic strategies to mitigate these complications. Vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin, plays a crucial role in physiological functions. Recent researches have highlighted the neuroprotective roles of vitamin D in several pathological conditions. Therefore, this review aims to summarize and discuss evidence from in vivo and clinical studies on the effects of vitamin D on brain pathologies and cognitive function in the context of MetS condition.

Methods: We searched articles published only in English, on PubMed Central from January 2000 to December 2023 using the following keywords: 1) "vitamin D", "metabolic syndrome", "brain"; 2) "vitamin D", "metabolic syndrome", "cognition"; 3) "vitamin D", "obesity", "cognition"; 4) "vitamin D", "obesity", "brain"; 5) "vitamin D", "hyperglycemia", "brain"; and 6) "vitamin D", "dyslipidemia", "brain", 7) "vitamin D", "T2DM", "brain"; and 8) "vitamin D", "T2DM", "cognition".

Results: Vitamin D treatment in animals with the MetS condition attenuated metabolic disturbances including inflammation, oxidation, hyperglycemia, obesity, and insulin resistance, and ameliorated cognitive dysfunction, suggesting the beneficial effects of vitamin D in the MetS condition.

Discussion: All the evidence indicates that vitamin D may be a potential therapeutic option to reduce cognitive dysfunction caused by metabolic syndrome.