Vitamin D Deficiency
Status: Ongoing
There is considerable need for additional research related to mental health and neuroscience in the North. Vitamin D (VD) is critically involved in many aspects of health and well being. VD is produced by the body in response to UVB sunlight, thus in northern communities where sun levels vary substantially, VD insufficiency is common. Further, dietary sources of VD are limited, and changes to northern dietary patterns in recent decades (e.g., lower consumption of salmon) may be contributing to insufficiency. In an effort to better understand the impacts of VD deficiency, and provide a foundation for further research exploring the interactions between metabolic and brain health, we’ve been developing a research program in partnership with collaborators at other institutions.
Project description
There are several on-going projects in this area:
Pre-clinical and Lab-Based Research: In collaboration with Dr. Wendie Marks (Pediatrics) at the University of Saskatchewan, we have launched a series of studies to explore this topic. Using a rodent model of maternal dietary VD deficiency, we’ve generated new evidence of deleterious effects in a mammalian system. These data provide novel insights into alterations in behavioral and neurological function. These data were presented at the 2025 Canadian Association of Neuroscience conference (thanks to financial support provided by the Research funds of Yukon University) and we hope to publish the first results of these studies in 2025.
New June 2025: We recently received a Yukon University Scholarly Activity Grant (2025) to analyze brain tissue from our maternal dietary VD deficiency model. The grant will provide funds to purchase assay kits to allow for further biochemical analysis of brain tissue. We will be analyzing the mechanistic target of rapamycin 1 and 2 pathways (mTOR1 and mTOR2) in the hippocampus, as well as quantification of the type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1R) in hippocampal and cortical brain regions. Disruptions of these pathways are relevant to several aspects of neurological function and brain health. For example, disruptions in mTOR1 and mTOR2 are implicated in a wide range of pathological states (e.g., ADHD, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, neurodegeneration). The CB1R is a conserved receptor critically involved in synaptic regulation and overall brain function, including in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. Similarly, disruptions of cortical and hippocampal CB1R are observed in several pathological states. As CB1R has not been examined in a maternal VD model, it is prudent to investigate this area. The data generated from these experiments will allow us to complete our study which makes novel contributions to our understanding of prenatal VD deficiency.
Literature Review: To understand what data are available, and identify gaps in the clinical literature, we’ve been working on a review of the neurological consequences of VD deficiency in the North (thanks to student support provided by the Yukon Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research). As part of this review we’ve identified several areas that warrant further study. We hope to publish this review in 2025.
Survey and Population Study in the North: One long-term goal of this project is to understand how VD and nutritional deficiencies broadly may be impacting the mental well being of Northerners. Still in the early planning and consultation stages, we aim to begin studying this topic in the North in early 2026.
Project team
Dr. Andrew Roebuck, Project Lead
Dr. Wendie Marks (Co-Lead) and the Marks Lab, University of Saskatchewan
Partners and funders
Financial support provided by the Research funds of Yukon University (SAG Grants: 2022, 2024, 2025, 2025)
Student support provided by the Yukon Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (2024)