The impact of vitamin D deficiency on behaviour and brain function in rodents

•We review studies using rodent models of vitamin D deficiency.•Prenatal vitamin D deficiency alters brain development.•Adult vitamin D deficiency alters behaviour.

Vitamin D deficiency has been proposed as an environmental risk factor for several neurological disorders. To investigate the biological plausibility of this risk factor, vitamin D (DVD) deficiency rodent models have been used to examine the impact of DVD deficiency on neurobiology and behaviour. The majority of these studies have taken a developmental stance and examined the impact of vitamin D deficiency during gestation on the adult behaviour of the offspring. In the rat, the most constant behavioural phenotypes include hyperlocomotion in response to novelty, psychostimulant sensitively, impulsivity, and augmented motivation. However, in the mouse increased exploratory behaviour and motivational alterations are observed. Researchers have also examined the affect of adult vitamin D deficiency in rodents. The resultant behavioural alterations include increased exploratory activity and impulsivity in the rat, while increased hyperlocomotion and sensory sensitivity is observed in the mouse. Thus, both the developing and adult brain are sensitive to dietary vitamin D status. However, the behavioural alterations are subtle and influenced by factors such as species, strain, sex, and age. This illustrates the amenability and complexity of neurobiological systems that are influenced by vitamin D status. Nonetheless, with increasing evidence for epidemiological associations between neuropathological disorders and vitamin D, carefully designed rodent models are well placed as a tool to explore the neurobiological and behavioural domains that may be sensitive to vitamin D.