Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Neurosurgery

It was observed that vitamin D deficiency and vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism can influence cognitive performance. Aim: To study the relation between serum vitamin D level, vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism (Apa-l & Taq-l) and cognitive performance in ischemic stroke without dementia, ischemic vascular dementia & controls. Results: Vitamin D significantly affects cognitive performance in controls, including, total score of Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination Revised (p 0.01), Story A from logical memory subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale Revised (p>0.001), Paired Associate Learning Test (p>0.001) & Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (p>0.001). PTH affects cognition in ischemic vascular dementia and controls but not ischemic stroke. Significantly different Taq-I alleles, (P =0.02) and genotypes (p= 0.009) distribution between studied groups. Apa-I genotypes polymorphisms were associated with cognitive performance. Conclusion: Vitamin D play an important role in preserving cognitive function of normal aging but cannot overcome the vascular burden of ischemic stroke or ischemic vascular dementia. Taq-I polymorphisms hypothesized to be associated with ischemic stroke and ischemic vascular dementia risks, while Apa-I polymorphisms hypothesized to be associated with cognitive performance

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