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ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Dietary Prevention of Obesity-related Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #127585

Title: ZINC (ZN) AND IRON (FE) REPLETION IMPROVES COGNITIVE FUNCTION OF MILDLY DEFICIENT WOMEN

Author
item Penland, James
item EGGER, NORMAN - UNIV TEXAS MEDICAL BR
item RAMANUJAM, V.M.S. - UNIV TEXAS MEDICAL BR
item DAYAL, HARI - UNIV TEXAS MEDICAL BR
item SANDSTEAD, HAROLD - UNIV TEXAS MEDICAL BR

Submitted to: Journal of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2001
Publication Date: 3/20/2002
Citation: Penland, J.G., Egger, N.G., Ramanujam, V.M.S., Dayal, H.H., Sandstead, H.H. 2002. Zinc (Zn) and Iron (Fe) repletion improves cognitive functin of mildly deficient women [abstract]. Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal. 16:A974.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Previous studies have suggested that cognitive function may be impaired by mild Zn and Fe deficiency. To systematically investigate this possibility, a computerized battery of neuropsychological tasks was administered to 78 women (aged 19-41 y) prior to and following 8 weeks treatment with either micronutrients (~50% RDA/AI;M), 30 mg/d Zn+M or 30 mg/d Fe+M. Women were mildly Zn- and Fe-deficient and treatments were administered in a double blind, crossover manner. Contrasted with M, Zn+M resulted in improved eye- hand coordination measured by percent time-on-target in a tracking task (p<0.002), and reasoning, measured by reaction time in an oddity task (p<0.008). Zn+M also resulted in improved accuracy on an object (visual) memory task (p<0.02) compared to Fe+M. Contrasted with M, Fe+M improved eye-hand coordination (tracking; p<0.02) and visual perception, as measured by accuracy on a set comparison task (p<0.02). Results were not affected by ytreatment order or use of oral contraceptives. Findings further our understanding of the functional importance of mineral nutrition and clearly indicate that cognitive performance may be negatively affected by suboptimal Zn and Fe nutrition. Support: DAMD 17-95-C-5112 & M01 RR 00073.