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The involvement of vitamin D in brain function has been discovered in the past 25 years by epidemiological and fundamental studies. Research on neurodegenerative diseases and their animal or cellular models unveiled converging lines of evidence indicating that hypovitaminosis D is not just an effect of the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, but truly an aggravating co-factor, sometimes very closely related to their physiopathology. Vitamin D is a steroid hormone capable of regulating the expression of hundreds of genes through both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. This reflects the highly pleiotropic nature of its action in its conventional bone and phosphocalcic metabolism targets. Its role in the central nervous system and neurodegenerative diseases makes no exception to this rule. Here we focus on the identified role and mechanisms of vitamin D in multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. The important prevalence of hypovitaminosis D under our latitudes in general and in at-risk groups in particular, its easy evaluation and correction, and the results of early clinical studies, suggest that vitamin D supplementation could usefully complement our therapeutic armory to fight these diseases.

International audience; The involvement of vitamin D in brain function has been discovered in the past 25 years by epidemiological and fundamental studies. Research on neurodegenerative diseases and their animal or cellular models unveiled converging lines of evidence indicating that hypovitaminosis D is not just an effect of the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, but truly an aggravating co-factor, sometimes very closely related to their physiopathology. Vitamin D is a steroid hormone capable of regulating the expression of hundreds of genes through both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. This reflects the highly pleiotropic nature of its action in its conventional bone and phosphocalcic metabolism targets. Its role in the central nervous system and neurodegenerative diseases makes no exception to this rule. Here we focus on the identified role and mechanisms of vitamin D in multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The important prevalence of hypovitaminosis D under our latitudes in general and in at-risk groups in particular, its easy evaluation and correction, and the results of early clinical studies, suggest that vitamin D supplementation could usefully complement our therapeutic armory to fight these diseases.; L’implication de la vitamine D dans le fonctionnement cérébral a fait l’objet, au cours des 25 dernières années, de nombreuses études épidémiologiques et fondamentales. Celles réalisées sur les maladies neurodégénératives et leurs modèles animaux ou cellulaires ont révélé que l’hypovitaminose D ne serait pas qu’une cause seconde dans la progression de certaines maladies neurodégénératives mais véritablement un cofacteur aggravant. La vitamine D est une hormone stéroïde capable de réguler l’expression de plusieurs centaines de gènes via des mécanismes génétiques et épigénétiques. Cela rend compte du caractère éminemment pléiotrope de cette molécule. Son rôle dans le système nerveux central (SNC) et les maladies neurodégénératives ne fait pas exception à cette règle. Nous faisons ici le point sur le rôle et les mécanismes d’action identifiés de la vitamine D dans la sclérose en plaques, la maladie d’Alzheimer et la maladie de Parkinson. L’importante prévalence de l’hypovitaminose D, sous nos latitudes et plus particulièrement dans certains groupes à risque, son évaluation et sa correction faciles, ainsi que les résultats des premières études cliniques de supplémentation, laissent penser que la vitamine D pourrait intégrer utilement l’arsenal thérapeutique dont nous disposons pour lutter contre ces maladies.