Publication Name	World Journal of Experimental Medicine
Manuscript ID	118761
Country	United States

Category	Medicine, General & Internal
Manuscript Type	Minireviews
Article Title	Neurobiological mechanisms linking vitamin d signaling to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration: Untangling epidemiology, pathophysiology, and evidence
Manuscript Source	Invited Manuscript
All Author List	Neha Choudhary, Maheen Zahid, Muhammad Ahmad, Muneeba Shaukat, Muhammad Tariq, Soura Rajeshwara, Shermeen Usman, Taimoor Wajid and Ayoola Awosika
Funding Agency and Grant Number
Corresponding Author	Ayoola Awosika, MD, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria, 1 Illini drive, Bloomington, IL 61601, United States. ayoolaawosika@yahoo.com
Key Words	Dementia; Vitamin D; Alzheimer’s disease; Cognitive decline; Neurodegeneration
Core Tip	Vitamin D deficiency has been consistently linked to an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia, with mechanistic studies providing biologically plausible pathways through its effects on amyloid and tau regulation, neuroinflammation, cerebrovascular health, and mitochondrial function. These converging data make vitamin D an attractive target for dementia prevention. However, the causality remains unproven. Randomized controlled trials have produced largely inconclusive findings, often limited by small sample sizes, short follow-up periods, or cognitive outcomes assessed only as secondary endpoints. As a result, the current evidence does not justify routine vitamin D supplementation as a therapeutic strategy for dementia prevention or management. However, if a causal role is ultimately confirmed, the public health implications would be substantial, given both the global prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and the rising incidence of dementia.
Citation	Choudhary N, Zahid M, Ahmad M, Shaukat M, Tariq M, Rajeshwara S, Usman S, Wajid T, Awosika A. Neurobiological mechanisms linking vitamin d signaling to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration: Untangling epidemiology, pathophysiology, and evidence. World J Exp Med 2026; In press

Received	2026-01-12 03:02
Peer-Review Started	2026-01-12 03:02
First Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-01-21 09:20
Return for Revision	2026-01-21 09:20
Revised	2026-01-24 00:03
Publication Fee Transferred
Second Decision by Editor	2026-02-11 02:36
Second Decision by Editor-in-Chief
Final Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-02-11 07:46
Articles in Press	2026-02-11 07:46
Edit the Manuscript by Language Editor
Typeset the Manuscript

ISSN	2220-315x (online)
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