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[Iron therapy in mental aberrations (pica) in childhood]

C Hadnagy1, S J Grauzer, P Binder

  • 1II. Medizinische Universitätsklinik, Psychiatrische Kinderpoliklinik von Tîrgu-Mures-Marosvásárhely, Romania.

Kinderarztliche Praxis
|April 1, 1991
PubMed

Insights

This study examines pica, an eating disorder involving non-food items, and trichophagia (eating hair). Iron supplementation is the recommended treatment, potentially acting on the central nervous system.

Area of Science:

  • Medicine
  • Psychiatry
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Pica is an eating disorder characterized by the persistent ingestion of non-nutritive, non-food substances.
  • Commonly ingested items include dirt, paper, cotton, and sand.
  • Trichophagia, the compulsive ingestion of hair, is a related disorder.

Observation:

  • The study reports on four cases of pica involving diverse substances.
  • A specific case of a girl with trichophagia is detailed.
  • The authors note the established efficacy of iron supplementation in managing pica.

Findings:

  • Iron deficiency is often associated with pica.
  • Intravenous iron administration is presented as a treatment option.
  • The proposed mechanism involves iron's action on central nervous system centers.

Implications:

  • This research highlights the neurological impact of iron in treating pica and trichophagia.
  • Understanding the central nervous system effects of iron may lead to more targeted therapies.
  • Further investigation into the neurochemical pathways affected by iron is warranted.

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