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. 2020 Jun 11:5:28.
doi: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15730.2. eCollection 2020.

Effects of vitamin D deficiency on neurobehavioural outcomes in children: a systematic review

Agnes M Mutua  1   2 , Reagan M Mogire  1   3 , Alison M Elliott  4   5 , Thomas N Williams  1   6   7 , Emily L Webb  8 , Amina Abubakar #  1   2   9   10 , Sarah H Atkinson #  1   7   11
Affiliations

Effects of vitamin D deficiency on neurobehavioural outcomes in children: a systematic review

Agnes M Mutua et al. Wellcome Open Res. .

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.

Keywords: Vitamin D deficiency; brain development; children; cognitive; development; language; motor; neurobehavioural outcomes.

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Conflict of interest statement

No competing interests were disclosed.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Factors influencing vitamin D status in children and potential roles of vitamin D in brain development – , – .
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. PRISMA flow chart showing the selection process for studies included in the review.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.. Sample sizes and types of studies included in the review.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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