Brain iron and behavior of rats are not normalized by treatment of iron deficiency anemia during early development

Previous studies in rats have shown that iron deficiency anemia (IDA) during brain development results in lower brain iron concentration and behavioral deficits that persist despite iron treatment after weaning. The present study used a developmental IDA model to determine whether earlier iron treatment might normalize brain iron concentration and behavior. One and one-half week periods of IDA were instituted during early or late gestation or lactation by providing low iron diet to adolescent rat dams and oral iron treatment at the end of the anemia period. The iron deficiency anemia of dams during gestation and lactation resulted in significantly lower pup brain iron concentrations at 3 mo of age (15-33% lower than control), despite iron treatment of dams as early as mid-gestation. Dam IDA during lactation lowered pup brain iron concentration significantly more than IDA during gestation (21% lower). All IDA groups had significantly poorer performance and lower activity compared with controls on a screen of home orientation at 8 d of age. Activity on this test was significantly less than controls at 12 d of age. Homing ability on d 12 and 16 and activity on d 16 did not differ from controls. Groups that were anemic around delivery had significant behavioral differences at 3 mo which included less defecation in the open field and greater swim distance in the Morris maze. These results raise the concern that iron sufficiency throughout the course of brain development is crucial to the achievement of normal brain iron concentration and behavior in rats.