Low Vitamin C Linked to Increased Dementia Risk, Weakened Brain Connectivity, Study Finds

Low vitamin C levels may increase the risk of dementia, according to a study published by Japanese researchers. The findings, reported by the UK's Daily Mail, analyzed data from over 2,000 adults aged 65 and older.

The study revealed that participants with lower vitamin C levels exhibited a reduction in gray matter, the brain tissue essential for information processing, language, and judgment. Furthermore, the connections between brain areas involved in memory, imagination, and self-reflection were weakened.

Dr. Tomohiro Shintaku, a researcher involved in the study, highlighted that higher vitamin C levels correlated with better structural connectivity in the brain's default mode network (DMN). The DMN is a neural network active when the brain is not focused on specific tasks, playing a role in memory recall and self-reflection. Impaired DMN function is often observed in dementia patients.

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This study showed that higher vitamin C levels are associated with better preservation of structural connectivity in the brain's default mode network (DMN), which plays an important role in cognitive function.