Here is the part on schizophrenia and vitamin D from that article. I tried to roughly sum up some parts with common words instead of jargon. (Again I have no clinical background.)
just to help myself try and make sense of it. And maybe others might find it interesting too.
Schizophrenia
Definition: Schizophrenia is recognized as a significant mental disorder with both positive symptoms (e.g., delusion and hallucination) and negative symptoms (e.g., blunted influence, and emotional and social withdrawal). These symptoms may adversely affect the psychological, occupational, or interpersonal functioning of an individual, and its consistency [31].
Epidemiology: Schizophrenia is a debilitating neurological illness that affects approximately 1% of the world’s population. The Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia estimated that 22.4% of those treated at outpatient mental health facilities suffered from psychiatric and behavioral problems induced by schizophrenia and delusional problems [31].
Relationship between vitamin D deficiency and schizophrenia: Kinney et al. [32] mentioned that prenatal vitamin D deficiency is a significant etiological factor in schizophrenia.
A study (by Kinney and other researchers) mentioned that vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy (“pre-natal” means before birth) is a significant causal factor for schizophrenia.
The incidence of vitamin D deficiency increases with latitude and cold weather because the skin’s exposure to UVB radiation from sunlight is the only natural source of vitamin D, where the decreased hours and strength of sunlight in higher latitudes make it impossible for people to obtain enough vitamin D, especially in winter months. Skin color also affects the absorption of UVB radiation from sunlight and one’s ability to synthesize vitamin D [32].
The amount of people getting vitamin D deficiency can be affected by where they live in the world, especially if they live in a place where there’s not a lot of sun. It can also be impacted by skin color.
McGrath et al. added that there is a lack of adequate evidence to advise public health on the use of vitamin D for schizophrenia prevention. The literature currently lacks information on the critical window during which hypovitaminosis D affects brain function, and the processes that underlie the apparent nonlinear association between neonatal vitamin D and schizophrenia incidence are not well understood [15].
A study (by McGrath and other researchers) said there’s not enough evidence to give public advice on use of vitamin D for schizophrenia prevention.
There also aren’t enough studies yet, on the processes that underlie an apparent association between vitamin D levels for babies soon after birth and rates of schizophrenia.
Chiang et al. conducted a case-control study of 69 individuals with first-episode psychosis and 69 healthy controls matched for age, gender, and ethnicity; they found severe vitamin D deficiencies in patients with first-episode psychosis [33].
Among people experiencing psychosis for the first time, a study found that people had severe vitamin D deficiencies, compared to people who didn’t have first-episode psychosis.
Berridge reported that vitamin D plays an important role in regulating a variety of transmitters and their downstream signaling pathways, such as the development of dopaminergic neurons. Under vitamin D deficiency, changes are observed in the metabolism of dopamine (DA), which may reflect the characteristic decline in DA neuron expression present in schizophrenia [34].
A study by Berridge reported that vitamin D is important for certain neuro transmitters. When there’s vitamin D deficiency, changes can be observed in chemical reactions involving dopamine. This may reflect the decline in dopamine neuron expression present in schizophrenia.
In 2019, Lau et al. stated that there is little understanding of the genetic and environmental causes of schizophrenia, but many researchers are gradually finding connections between maternal vitamin D status and the risk of schizophrenia. They explained that vitamin D deficiency during development influences brain growth, and the VDR is found in areas of concern in schizophrenia (e.g., dopaminergic regions). Animal studies have shown that temporary prenatal vitamin D deficiency is consistent with neurochemical and behavioral changes [35].
There’s not a lot of scientific understanding of the genetic and environmental causes of schizophrenia, but researchers are gradually finding connections between mother’s vitamin D levels and risk of schizophrenia in their children.
Animal studies have shown that a vitamin D deficiency before birth is consistent with neurochemical and behavioural changes in children.
Positive effect of vitamin D supplementation: McGrath et al. reported that prenatal vitamin D supplementation in women at risk of hypovitaminosis D reduced the incidence of schizophrenia in offspring [15].
For women at risk of vitamin D deficiency, having vitamin D supplements during pregnancy reduced the rate of schizophrenia developing in their children.
I did see that there was this article also on the forum, for context too:
Vitamin D might have negative impact on some antipsychotic drug exposure
Do any of you guys take vitamin d?
Bought myself a bottle of D3 but haven’t tried yet
I supplement with Vitamin D3
I have a deficiency
I take vitamin D but ran out over a week ago and my positives definitely have improved since then… but I also had a med change a bit ago so I can’t say for sure
Which AP do you take?
Your positives improved since you ran out of Vitamin D?
Seroquel xr and abilify
