<b>Serum Vitamin-D, a Neuroimmunomodulator in Schizophrenic Patients: A Study at University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital.</b>

INTRODUCTION: Vitamin D interacts with various pathways implicated in schizophrenia pathogenesis and independently influences the nervous and immune systems, supporting its role as a neuroimmunomodulator. AIM AND OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and the severity of schizophrenia and examined its correlation with disease progression in both first-episode and chronic schizophrenia patients. METHODOLOGY: This hospital-based cross-sectional study, included 50 first-episode schizophrenia patients, 50 patients with chronic schizophrenia and 50 healthy controls. Data collection employed the use of structured questionnaires to obtain socio-demographic data and a symptom severity scale (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) to assess the severity of the disease. Participants’ sera were obtained for serum vitamin D analysis. RESULTS: The serum Vitamin D level exhibited statistically significant and strong negative correlation with schizophrenia symptom severity among the first-episode schizophrenic group. Meanwhile, no statistically significant correlation was observed among the chronic schizophrenic participants. DISCUSSION: The study established a positive relationship between vitamin D deficiency and the severity of schizophrenia among the first-episode schizophrenic patients suggesting that vitamin D deficiency may contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and could be a modifiable risk factor for symptom management. The vitamin D levels in chronic schizophrenics could have been compensated for during the course of treatment due to family support, improved sun exposure, and diet.