Cerebral function in iron deficiency: a review

Summary Studies in many parts of the world have shown that children with iron deficiency and anaemia show minor defects of cerebral function such as poor attentiveness, poor coordination and slightly impaired scores on developmental assessment. The patients improve rapidly after treatment with iron—too quickly for their anaemia to have been corrected. Such changes have not been detected in children with anaemia from other causes, nor in patients with iron deficiency too slight to cause anaemia. The possibility that these changes are due in some way to some other aspect of malnutrition has not been excluded. Fortunately they are minimal, easily reversible and potentially preventable.