Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026

Assessing Iron Deposition in the Brains of 5xFAD Mice by Perls'/DAB Staining
Published on: May 23, 2025
Molecular mechanisms of cognitive impairment in iron deficiency: alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor and
Objective:
The present review examines the relationship between iron deficiency and central nervous system (CNS) development and cognitive impairment, focusing on the cellular and molecular mechanisms related to the expression and function of growth factors, particularly the insulin-like growth factors I and II (IGF-I/II) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), in the CNS.
Methods:
Nutritional deficiencies are important determinants in human cognitive impairment. Among these, iron deficiency has the highest prevalence worldwide. Although this ailment is known to induce psychomotor deficits during development, the precise molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying these alterations have not been properly elucidated. This review summarizes the available information on the effect of iron deficiency on the expression and function of growth factors in the CNS, with an emphasis on IGF-I/II and BDNF.
Results And Discussion:
Recent studies have shown that specific growth factors, such as IGF-I/II and BDNF, have an essential role in cognition, particularly in processes involving learning and memory, by the activation of intracellular-signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. It is known that nutritional deficiencies promote reductions in systemic and CNS concentrations of growth factors, and that altered expression of these molecules and their receptors in the CNS leads to psychomotor and developmental deficits. Iron deficiency may induce these deficits by decreasing the expression and function of IGF-I/II and BDNF in specific areas of the brain.
More Related Videos
04:48Setup of Capillary Electrophoresis-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (CE-ICP-MS) for Quantification of Iron Redox Species (Fe(II), Fe(III))
Published on: May 4, 2020
06:21Osmotic Minipump Implantation for Increasing Glucose Concentration in Mouse Cerebrospinal Fluid
Published on: April 7, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Gut-Brain Axis
Long-term Depression
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over time, all...
Long-term Depression
Biological Influences on Intelligence
Hepatic Encephalopathy
Role of Neurotransmitters in Memory
Glutamate and Synaptic Plasticity
Glutamate, the brain's main excitatory neurotransmitter, is critical for...