The long-range goal is to understand the behavioral and developmental effects of iron deficiency in infancy. Iron deficiency anemia affects one in 4-5 of the world's babies, and iron deficiency without anemia affects many more. The goal of the proposed 5-year project is to determine late functional consequences of early iron deficiency. This study continues to follow a well-maintained longitudinal cohort of 191 late adolescents/young adults in Costa Rica whose iron status and iron therapy were carefully documented in infancy. 87 percent of the original cohort is still participating. The project pursues our findings of major differences in school achievement and internalizing behavior problems at 10-13 years by assessing cognitive, motor, and emotional functioning at 19 years and the pursuit of higher education, job stability and level, mental health, early childbearing, etc. Late physical effects (delayed pubertal progression, obesity, stunting, cardiovascular risk factors) will be examined. Hypothesis-driven examination of specific cognitive functions will pursue earlier findings suggesting problems in spatial/working memory and selective attention/inhibition of the irrelevant. These functions are related to neural systems that have been shown to be altered in animal models of early iron deficiency. Sequential blood samples will again be obtained to extend earlier findings of stability in prolactin response from infancy to 12 years, relationships to behavior in early adolescence, and differing response depending on iron status in infancy. These assessments of specific cognitive functions and neuroendocrine responses to stress seek to identify the neural substrates underlying central nervous system effects of early iron deficiency. Beginning with longitudinal data already available from previous waves (infancy with 3 assessments, 5 years, 10-13 years, and 15-16 years), powerful statistical techniques such as hierarchical linear modeling and structural equation modeling will be used to identify patterns of continuity and change over time and to help clarify how biologic and environmental risks combine to result in poorer outcome.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award (R37)
Project #
5R37HD031606-07
Application #
6181668
Study Section
Human Development and Aging Subcommittee 3 (HUD)
Program Officer
Grave, Gilman D
Project Start
1994-06-01
Project End
2004-06-30
Budget Start
2000-07-01
Budget End
2001-06-30
Support Year
7
Fiscal Year
2000
Total Cost
$234,661
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Department
Pediatrics
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
791277940
City
Ann Arbor
State
MI
Country
United States
Zip Code
48109
Lozoff, Betsy; Smith, Julia B; Kaciroti, Niko et al. (2013) Functional significance of early-life iron deficiency: outcomes at 25 years. J Pediatr 163:1260-6
Lozoff, Betsy (2011) Early iron deficiency has brain and behavior effects consistent with dopaminergic dysfunction. J Nutr 141:740S-746S
Corapci, Feyza; Calatroni, Agustin; Kaciroti, Niko et al. (2010) Longitudinal evaluation of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems following iron deficiency in infancy. J Pediatr Psychol 35:296-305
Lukowski, Angela F; Koss, Marlene; Burden, Matthew J et al. (2010) Iron deficiency in infancy and neurocognitive functioning at 19 years: evidence of long-term deficits in executive function and recognition memory. Nutr Neurosci 13:54-70
Lozoff, Betsy; Jimenez, Elias; Wolf, Abraham W et al. (2009) Higher infant blood lead levels with longer duration of breastfeeding. J Pediatr 155:663-7
Corapci, Feyza; Radan, Angela E; Lozoff, Betsy (2006) Iron deficiency in infancy and mother-child interaction at 5 years. J Dev Behav Pediatr 27:371-8
Corapci, Feyza; Smith, Julia; Lozoff, Betsy (2006) The role of verbal competence and multiple risk on the internalizing behavior problems of Costa Rican youth. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1094:278-81
Lozoff, B; Wolf, A W; Jimenez, E (1996) Iron-deficiency anemia and infant development: effects of extended oral iron therapy. J Pediatr 129:382-9