Abstract: There are still not enough findings to elucidate how exactly alcohol use impairs cognitive abilities. Some studies have shown that there is a link between alcohol intake and vitamin
D levels, but these findings are inconsistent so further research is needed. The aim of this study
was to investigate the association between serum vitamin D levels and cognitive impairment in
alcohol-dependent individuals. A case-control study was carried out including a total of N = 132
respondents with a medical history of alcoholism, and healthy volunteers. The Montreal Cognitive
Assessment (MoCa) and Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination-Revised (ACE-R) screening tools
were used for cognitive status assessment and serum vitamin D levels analysis (blood samples of respondents). Significant difference (p = 0.022), was found in vitamin D levels in the alcohol-dependent
group with cognitive deficiency 13.7 ± 9.4 (ng/mL), alcohol-dependent group without cognitive
deficiency 19.5 ± 11.2 (ng/mL) and healthy controls 19.9 ± 11.1 (ng/mL), respectively. Furthermore,
vitamin D levels were significantly different across all groups based on MoCa (p = 0.016) and ACE-R
(p = 0.004) scores. All three groups exhibited vitamin D deficiency. A significant correlation was found
between vitamin D deficiency and cognitive impairment, but it yielded no significant difference in
alcohol-dependent individuals.
