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Linking infant iron status, brain function, and looking behavior during a memory task (810.36)
Author(s) -
Hammons Julie,
Canfield Richard,
Robertson Steven,
Haas Jere
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.810.36
Subject(s) - novelty , ferritin , brain function , working memory , pediatrics , cognition , anemia , audiology , medicine , developmental psychology , psychology , iron deficiency anemia , neuroscience , social psychology
No definition of iron deficiency (ID) exists for infants under 12 mo, but young infants (4‐6 mo) are at risk of anemia and depleted iron stores. Nutritional insults during peak brain development (late gestation thru early infancy) may affect long‐term memory. Previous human studies used global cognitive measures, and cannot link ID to impaired memory via specific brain abnormalities. This study examined the links between iron status (hemoglobin (Hb), ferritin, transferrin receptor and body iron), memory function, and brain activity in 40 infants, aged 4‐6 mo. Memory performance was assessed via a Paired Comparison (PC) task and brain function via a similar task with synchronous electroencephalography (EEG). Mixed and logistic regression models were used to estimate the effect (OR) of iron status on 1) amplitude and latency of EEG peaks related to memory; 2) novelty preference and look duration in the PC. Covariates include quality of mother‐infant interactions and infant age, gender, and SES. Nearly 10% of infants were anemic (Hb <110 g/L) and over 70% had mild anemia (Hb 110‐120 g/L). Over 60% of infants showed novelty preference in the PC. This work will inform a definition of ID in infants <12 mo. Grant Funding Source : Supported by the USDA/NIFA (Hatch# 2012‐13‐228) and NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (JEH)