A new study has found that iron deficiency (ID) without anaemia may impact brain development in adolescents, particularly girls. In a cross-sectional analysis of 209 participants aged 10 to 17, researchers found that those with ID but no anaemia showed lower iron content in key brain regions and worse psychiatric and cognitive functioning.
The study, conducted across paediatric clinics between 2020 and 2024, used brain imaging to measure iron levels in the basal ganglia, a region critical for emotional and cognitive processes. ID without anaemia, defined as serum ferritin below 15 ng/mL, was present in 30 percent of the group. Adolescents with ID had significantly lower iron-related susceptibility in the caudate and putamen, particularly among females. The differences grew larger with age, suggesting a possible link to the duration of deficiency.
Importantly, reduced iron levels were also associated with smaller subcortical brain volumes, more severe psychiatric symptoms, and poorer performance on cognitive tests. These effects were especially pronounced in girls, while no significant interaction between ID and age was observed in boys.
The findings suggest that iron deficiency, even without the presence of anaemia, may disrupt brain development during a critical growth period.
Reference
Fiani D et al. Iron deficiency without anemia and reduced basal ganglia iron content in youths. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8;(6):e2516687.
