Posts tagged iron deficiency
Articles and news from the latest research reports.
Brain ‘Stones’ Found in Man with Celiac Disease
A young man in Brazil who suffered from throbbing headaches and vision problems for 10 years turned out to have stonelike buildups of calcium in his brain.
The stones were likely a rare complication of the man’s celiac disease, a digestive condition that the man didn’t know he had, according to a new report of his case.
Because of his recurring headaches and vision problems, the man had been treated for migraines, but he hadn’t improved. When doctors did a CT scan, they found patches of calcification in the back of the man’s brain, in the areas that handle vision.
Lab tests showed that although the fluid circulating in the man’s brain was normal, it had higher levels of the antibodies linked to celiac disease, according to the report published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The protein profile of restless leg syndrome
A protein profile of people with restless leg syndrome (RLS), identifies factors behind disrupted sleep, cardiovascular dysfunction and pain finds research in BioMed Central’s open access journal Fluids and Barriers of the CNS. The research gives insights into the disorder, and could be useful in the development of new treatments.
It is not completely clear what causes RLS, also known as Willis Ekbom disease (WED), but in some people it is associated with iron deficiency in the brain, kidney failure, or low levels of the ‘pleasure’ neurotransmitter dopamine. It can also occur during pregnancy. It affects between 5 and 10% of the population and symptoms, which can range in severity, including sleep deprivation and decreased ability to work can lead to a reduction in quality of life. It is also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Comparing the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) of women with and without RLS, researchers from the US and Korea discovered there was a significantly altered level of six specific proteins with RLS. Dr Stephanie Patton from Penn State University who led this study explained, “Our results reveal a protein profile in the RLS/WED CSF that is consistent with iron deficiency, dopamine dysregulation and inflammation.”
These proteins include a protein which transports vitamin D into cells and is involved in the regulation of dopamine levels, cystatin C – a biomarker for pain found in people with sciatica and during labor, and a neuromodulator (PTGDS) known to be involved in sleep disturbances. Levels of apolipoprotein (Apo) A1 were lower with RLS and may be related to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
The importance of iron’s role in RLS is highlighted by the presence of B-hemoglobin in the CSF of women with RLS, while levels of a glycoprotein (AGP) were reduced. AGP is involved in response to inflammatory damage and requires the presence of iron for it to be protective.
Dr Stephanie Patton continued, “Although a small study, this CSF protein profile is consistent with observed neuropathological findings and supports existing hypotheses about the biology behind RLS/WED, which could prove clinically important in developing new treatments.”
(Source: alphagalileo.org)
Iron deficiency and cognitive development: New insights from piglets
University of Illinois researchers have developed a model that uses neonatal piglets for studying infant brain development and its effect on learning and memory. To determine if the model is nutrient-sensitive, they have done some research on the effects of iron-deficient diets.
“Iron deficiency is a major problem worldwide,” said Rodney Johnson, professor of animal sciences and director of the Division of Nutritional Sciences. “Infants who experience iron deficiency during the first 6 to 12 months of age can have irreversible developmental delays in cognition.”
He said that, even in the United States, iron deficiency is a significant problem. “Babies born to obese mothers are at risk for iron deficiency,” said Johnson. “Furthermore, the incidence of child obesity is increasing, and being overweight or obese is a risk factor for iron deficiency. Overweight toddlers are nearly three times more likely to suffer from iron deficiency than are those with a healthy weight.”
Johnson said that this work highlights a new translational model for studying micronutrient deficiencies. Traditional rodent models are less suited for examining these kinds of questions because they cannot be weaned early and placed on experimental diets. Pigs, however, are a precocial species, which means that their motor and sensory skills are quite well developed at birth. This facilitates early weaning and behavioral testing.
An article describing this research, “Early Life Iron Deficiency Impairs Spatial Cognition in Neonatal Piglets” by Jennifer L. Rytych, Monica R. P. Elmore, Michael D. Burton, Matthew S. Conrad, Sharon M. Donovan, Ryan N. Dilger, and Rodney W. Johnson has recently been published in The Journal of Nutrition.