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Molecular basis of vitamin D action in neurodegeneration: the story of a team perspective

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Abstract

Vitamin D, a secosteroid hormone, has, over the years, mainly been known for its classic role in the maintenance of calcium homeostasis of the human body. However, there is increasing understanding that vitamin D contributes to the regulation of Ca2+ homeostasis, especially via voltage-gated calcium channels, in another major organ that uses calcium, the brain. Almost 30 years ago, the role of dysregulation in the aging brain and in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) gave rise to the Ca2+ hypothesis of brain aging and dementia. We thus made calcium homeostasis the starting point of our studies, proposing the notion that the consequences of long-term deficiency and/or inefficient utilization of vitamin D may cause the disruption of calcium homeostasis in neurons, this creating a vulnerability of neurons to aging and neurodegeneration. In this mini-review, we aim to describe the potential of vitamin D (cholecalciferol) as a neurosteroid based on our findings and conclusions.

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Funding

The reviewed studies performed in Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine Department of Medical Biology, are supported by the Research Fund of Istanbul University (Project No: 23448, 26645, 26263, 27781, 30666, 53653) and by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey-TUBITAK (Project No: 214S586, 214S585, 115S438, 217S375).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brain and Neurodegenerative Disorders Research Laboratory, Department of Medical Biology, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, 34098, Istanbul, Turkey

    Duygu Gezen-Ak & Erdinç Dursun

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  1. Duygu Gezen-Ak
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  2. Erdinç Dursun
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Correspondence to Duygu Gezen-Ak.

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Gezen-Ak, D., Dursun, E. Molecular basis of vitamin D action in neurodegeneration: the story of a team perspective. Hormones 18, 17–21 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42000-018-0087-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42000-018-0087-4

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