Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40033268›Full record

ArticleBMC psychiatry2025

Effects of vitamin D on brain function in preschool children with autism spectrum disorder: a resting-state functional MRI study.

Pu Tian, Xiaona Zhu, Zhuohang Liu, Bingyang Bian, Feiyong Jia, Le Dou, Yige Jie, Xuerui Lv, Tianyi Zhao, Dan Li

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Review
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  6. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Pu TianDepartment of Radiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China.
Xiaona ZhuDepartment of Radiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China.
Zhuohang LiuDepartment of Radiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China.
Bingyang BianDepartment of Radiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China.
Feiyong JiaDepartment of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, The First Hospital of Jilin University, No. 71, Xinmin Street, Changchun, 130021, Jilin, China.
Le DouDepartment of Radiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China.
Yige JieDepartment of Radiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China.
Xuerui LvDepartment of Radiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China.
Tianyi ZhaoDepartment of Radiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China.
Dan LiDepartment of Radiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, Jilin, China. li_d@jlu.edu.cn.

Funding

Jilin Province Science and Technology Development Plan Item 20230402011GHJilin Provincial International Joint Research Center for Medical Artificial Intelligence Precision Diagnosis and Treatment YDZJ202402080CXJD1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPrevious studies indicate vitamin D impacts autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but its relationship with brain function is unclear. This study investigated the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and brain function in preschool children with ASD using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), and explored correlations with clinical symptoms.

methodsA total of 226 ASD patients underwent rs-fMRI scanning and serum 25(OH)D testing. Clinical symptoms were assessed using Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). Patients were categorized into mild and severe groups based on the CARS, and further divided into normal (NVD), insufficient (VDI), and deficient (VDD) serum 25(OH)D levels. Changes in brain function among these groups were analyzed using regional homogeneity (ReHo), with ABC scores used for correlation analysis.

resultsIn mild ASD, ReHo increased in the right postcentral gyrus and left precuneus in the VDI and VDD groups compared to NVD, and decreased in the bilateral middle cingulate gyrus and left superior frontal gyrus in the VDD group compared to VDI. In severe ASD, ReHo decreased in the right middle occipital gyrus and increased in the right insula in the VDI group compared to NVD, and increased in the right superior frontal gyrus in the VDD group compared to VDI. Correlation analysis revealed that in mild ASD, ReHo in the right postcentral gyrus was positively correlated with body and object use scores in the NVD and VDI groups, while ReHo in the right middle cingulate gyrus was negatively correlated with relating scores in the VDD and VDI groups. In severe ASD, ReHo in the right insula was positively correlated with language scores in the NVD and VDI groups.

conclusionsASD patients with lower serum 25(OH)D levels show multiple brain functional abnormalities, with specific brain region alterations linked to symptom severity. These findings enhance our understanding of vitamin D's impact on ASD and suggest that future research may explore its therapeutic potential.

Indexed as

Autism Spectrum DisorderBrainVitamin DVitamin D DeficiencyChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMale25-hydroxyvitamin DVitamin DAutism spectrum disorder (ASD)Preschool childrenRegional homogeneity (ReHo)Resting-fMRIVitamin D

Identifiers

PMID40033268
PMCPMC11877728

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.