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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2009 Jan 1.
Published in final edited form as: Nutr Res. 2008;28(5):285–292. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2008.02.013

Figure 2. Proposed mechanism for the relationship between calcium and brain lesions1.

Figure 2

1Dietary calcium and vitamin D may promote brain lesions via vascular calcification. High intakes may lead to calcium retention, particularly in the presence of renal disease. Calcium retention combined with atherosclerotic and inflammatory processes may promote vascular calcification which, in turn, may lead to ischemia, neuronal death, and brain lesions. Calcium may also have direct neurotoxic effects which lead to brain lesions.