title: Iron-deficiency anemia in infancy and poorer cognitive inhibitory control at age 10 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the effects of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) in infancy on executive functioning at age 10 years, specifically inhibitory control on the Go/No-Go task. We predicted that children who had IDA in infancy would show poorer inhibitory control.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed cognitive inhibitory control in 132 Chilean children (mean [SD] age 10 y [1 mo]): 69 children had IDA in infancy (45 males, 24 females) and 63 comparison children who did not have IDA (26 males, 37 females). Participants performed the Go/No-Go task with event-related potentials. Group differences in behavioral (accuracy, reaction time) and electrophysiological outcomes (N2 and P300 components) were analyzed using repeated-measures analyses of variance. N2 and P300 are interpreted to reflect attention and resource allocation respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relative to comparison participants, children who had IDA in infancy showed slower reaction time (mean [SE], 528.7 ms [14.2] vs 485.0 ms [15.0], 95% confidence interval [CI] for difference between groups 0.9-86.5); lower accuracy (95.4% [0.5] vs 96.9% [0.6], 95% CI -3.0 to -0.1); longer latency to N2 peak (378.9 ms [4.9] vs 356.9 ms [5.0], 95% CI 7.5-36.6); and smaller P300 amplitude (4.5 μV [0.8] vs 7.6 μV [0.9], 95% CI-5.5 to -0.5).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IDA in infancy was associated with slower reaction times and poorer inhibitory control 8 to 9 years after iron therapy. These findings are consistent with the long-lasting effects of early IDA on myelination and/or prefrontal-striatal circuits where dopamine is the major neurotransmitter.
authors: Sleep and Functional Neurobiology Laboratory, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile. calgarin@inta.uchile.cl
authors: Cecilia
authors: C
authors: Algarín
authors: Charles A
authors: CA
authors: Nelson
authors: Patricio
authors: P
authors: Peirano
authors: Alissa
authors: A
authors: Westerlund
authors: Sussanne
authors: S
authors: Reyes
authors: Betsy
authors: B
authors: Lozoff
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000150:complications*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology