Severe or marginal iron deficiency affects spontaneous physical activity in rats

Abstract

The influence of dietary iron on spontaneous activity was investigated in growing rats. Male rats weighing 97 +/- 10 g fed diets containing 4.6 (deficient), 19.9 (marginal), and 108.4 (adequate) mg Fe/kg diet for 8 wks had hemoglobin values of 52 +/- 6, 152 +/- 4, and 159 +/- 6 g/L, and liver nonheme iron concentrations of 0.79 +/- 0.24, 1.36 +/- 0.39, and 4.58 +/- 0.62 mumol/g, respectively. Body weights were affected only at the lowest iron intake. Diurnal activity was not reversed by iron status; all animals were more active during the dark cycle than the light cycle. Iron deficiency resulted in less time and frequency of horizontal, vertical, and stereotypic movements; less distance moved; and less frequent rotations. Movement speed of iron-deficient rats was faster during early iron deficiency. In the light, rats with marginal iron nutriture were generally more active than were iron-deficient or iron-adequate animals. In the dark, activity generally decreased with each reduction in dietary iron.

Dopamine D3Receptor Specifically Modulates Motor and Sensory Symptoms in Iron-Deficient Mice

“…Iron deficiency led to a decrease in Dist, especially during the early night period in both strains, this being consistent with previous reports (Youdim et al, 1981;Hunt et al, 1994). Youdim et al (1981) suggested that this is caused by an iron deficiency-mediated reduction of dopamine D 2 receptors (D2Rs).…”

Effects of an energy and micronutrient supplement on iron deficiency anemia, physical activity and motor and mental development in undernourished children in Indonesia

“…In the laboratory it has been shown that iron de®cient rats increased movement speed as compared with rats fed either a marginal or an adequate iron diet. However, the iron de®cient rats also showed fewer movements and covered shorter distances than the animals on the other two diets (Hunt et al, 1994).…”

A developmental view of the undernourished child: background and purpose of the study in Pangalengan, Indonesia

“…In addition to chronic energy de®ciency, iron (Hunt et al, 1994) and zinc (Golub et al, 1995;Black, 1998) de®ciency also limit activity level. Of importance is that generally the dietary factors that cause protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) usually also cause iron and zinc de®ciencies.…”

“…Little is known about the non-genetic motor determinants of activity in well-nourished children. Variability in the intake of energy, iron (Hunt et al, 1994) and zinc (Bentley et al, 1997) account in part for the variability of motor activity among nutritionally de®cient children and laboratory animals. Motor actions are correlated with energy expenditures, but they do not maintain a one-to-one relationship.…”