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Relation of ferritin levels with symptom ratings and cognitive performance in children with attention
Ozgur Oner1, Ozden Yalcinkaya Alkar, Pinar Oner
1Department of Child Psychiatry, SB Diskapi Children's Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. ozz_oner@yahoo.com
Insights
Lower ferritin levels in children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were linked to increased hyperactivity. Cognitive functions were not significantly associated with iron status in this ADHD sample.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatrics
- Hematology
Background:
- Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder.
- Iron deficiency and anemia are common in children and can affect cognitive and behavioral outcomes.
- The relationship between hematological markers and ADHD symptoms requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between behavioral symptoms, attentional and executive functions, and hematological variables (ferritin, hemoglobin, MCV, RDW) in children and adolescents with ADHD.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 52 children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD (ages 7-13) participated.
- Behavioral symptoms were assessed using Conners Parent and Teacher Rating Scales.
- Neuropsychological functions were evaluated using a battery of tests including WCST, Stroop, CPT, WISC-R subtests, and Trail Making Test A and B.
Main Results:
- Seven participants had iron deficiency; none were anemic.
- Lower ferritin levels correlated with higher hyperactivity scores on parental ratings.
- Cognitive performance, assessed via neuropsychological tests, did not show significant relationships with ferritin, hemoglobin, MCV, or RDW levels.
Conclusions:
- Ferritin levels may be associated with behavioral symptoms, specifically hyperactivity, in children with ADHD.
- No significant relationship was found between iron status markers and cognitive performance in this ADHD cohort.
Background:
The aim of the present paper was to investigate the relationship between behavioral symptoms and attentional and executive functions and hematological variables related to iron deficiency and anemia, ferritin, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and red cell distribution width (RDW) in children and adolescents with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Methods:
The sample consisted of 52 ADHD children (42 boys, 10 girls; age 7-13 years; mean +/- SD, 9.9 +/- 2.1 years). Conners Parent and Teacher Rating Scales were obtained. The neuropsychological test battery included Wisconsin Card-Sorting Test (WCST), Stroop, Continuous Performance Test, Digit Symbol and Digit Span subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Revised (WISC-R), and Trail Making Test A and B, which taps abstraction-flexilibity (WCST), sustained attention (CPT), mental tracking and complex attention (WISC-R Digit Span, Digit Symbol, Trail Making A and B) and interference control (Stroop). Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate the relation of ferritin, hemoglobin, MCV, RDW, age, gender, and presence of comorbidity.
Results:
While seven children had iron deficiency, none of them was anemic. Lower ferritin levels were associated with higher hyperactivity scores in parental ratings. While performance increased with age for most of the neuropsychological tests utilized, ferritin, hemoglobin, MCV and RDW and gender were not significantly related with cognitive performance in this sample.
Conclusions:
At least for the present clinical sample, ferritin levels might be related with behavioral but not cognitive measures in ADHD cases.
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