Effects of iron deficiency on attention and learning processes in preschool children: Bandung, Indonesia.
A double-blind clinical trial was conducted in Indonesia to assess effects of iron supplementation on performance of iron-depleted and iron-deficient anemic children in discrimination and oddity learning tasks. Half these children received elemental Fe for 8 wk; the others received a placebo. There were significant changes from pre- to postintervention evaluations in ferritin, transferrin saturation, free erythrocyte protoporphyrin, and hemoglobin among the anemic and iron-depleted children; no changes were observed among the placebos or any of the iron-replete children. The magnitude of hematological changes in anemic children treated with iron was small; yet, after treatment the children's mean ferritin, transferrin saturation, and hemoglobin values were above the cutoff points used for the definition of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA). Pre- and posttreatment psychological test data show that IDA produces alterations in cognitive processes related to visual attention and concept acquisition, alterations reversed with iron treatment.
Soewondo
S
S
University of Indonesia, Jakarta.
Husaini
M
M
Pollitt
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D001288:Attention; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000032:analysis; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia; D007501:Iron / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000209:etiology*; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000097:blood; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood
D006454:Hemoglobins; D011524:Protoporphyrins; D014168:Transferrin; D014801:Vitamin A; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron