Research explores vitamin D benefits and canine models for dementia

New research is exploring different avenues for understanding and potentially mitigating the progression of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

A study from Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing suggests that high-dose vitamin D supplementation may be linked to improved cognition in adults showing early signs of decline. The study followed 54 adults with mild cognitive impairment and sleep disturbances. Participants taking at least 5,000 IU of vitamin D daily scored over 13 percent higher on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment compared to those who did not. Researchers noted that lower doses showed no such benefit and that the specific form of the vitamin (D2 or D3) did not impact the results.

In a separate area of study, researchers are investigating the use of aging dogs as natural models for neurodegenerative diseases. Because traditional mouse models often fail to translate to human clinical trials, scientists are looking at species that naturally experience brain changes similar to humans. Recent findings published in npj Dementia indicate that the aging dog brain undergoes changes comparable to the human brain with dementia, potentially offering a more effective way to develop diagnostics and treatments.