[Prevention of cognitive disorders in elderly and senile patients.]

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of vitamin D on the cognitive functions and quality of life in elderly and senile patients with cerebrovascular disease. 100 elderly and senile patients with cerebrovascular disease were examined: 60 people - level 25 (OH)D in blood serum <20 ng/ml (deficiency, pronounced deficiency), in 40 people this indicator was ≥30 ng/ml (within the normal range). Cognitive functions were evaluated according to neuropsychological scales (MMSE, MoCA, FAB, «clock drawing test», Schulte tables). To study the quality of life, all patients filled out a general questionnaire SF-36. The body's vitamin D supply was judged by the content of 25 (OH)D in the blood serum. Patients with low vitamin D levels (25 (OH)D <20 ng / ml) were divided into two subgroups: 30 people were prescribed cholecalciferol at a dosage of 8 000 IU/day for three months and 30 people who were not treated with cholecalciferol. The study showed that patients with low levels of vitamin D [25 (OH)D <20 ng/ml] had significantly worse indicators when assessing both cognitive functions and quality of life. The work proved that cognitive functions affect the quality of life. In patients with extremely low levels of vitamin D [25 (OH)D <20 ng/ml], after taking cholecalciferol at a dosage of 8000 IU/day for three months, there was a normalization of the level of 25 (OH)D (the average level of which was 34,10±7,42 ng/ml) in the blood serum and there was a significantly significant positive dynamics in assessing cognitive functions and quality of life.