An event-related potential study of attention and recognition memory in infants with iron-deficiency anemia.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this work was to determine whether iron-deficiency anemia in infancy represents a risk factor for deficits in attention and memory development using event-related potentials.


METHODS
Artifact-free event-related potential data were obtained at 9 and/or 12 months from 15 infants with iron-deficiency anemia and 19 who were iron sufficient during a test of the infant's ability to discriminate a highly familiar stimulus, the mother's face, from a stranger's face.


RESULTS
A midlatency negative component associated with attention and a late-occurring positive slow wave associated with memory updating were identified at both ages in the iron-deficiency anemia and iron-sufficient groups. Consistent with the age-appropriate pattern of development at 9 months, the iron-sufficient group showed a greater attentional response (negative component) to the mother and a greater updating of memory for the stranger (positive slow wave). This pattern of responses was not evident in the iron-deficiency anemia group until 12 months, suggesting a delay in cognitive development.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that iron-deficiency anemia adversely affects the allocation of neurophysiologic resources to attention and recognition memory during the processing of information about familiar and unfamiliar stimuli. This delay in cognitive development may reflect alterations in efficiency of central nervous system functions that seem related to early iron deficiency.
Burden
Matthew J
MJ
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 2751 E Jefferson, Suite 460, Detroit, MI 48207, USA. mburden@wayne.edu
Westerlund
Alissa J
AJ
Armony-Sivan
Rinat
R
Nelson
Charles A
CA
Jacobson
Sandra W
SW
Lozoff
Betsy
B
Angelilli
Mary Lu
ML
Jacobson
Joseph L
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*