Cognitive Impairment Profile in Adolescents with Iron Deficiency Anemia: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Analysis
Keywords:
anemia, adolescents, cognition, attention, iron deficiency, neuropsychology, hemoglobin, executive function, memoryAbstract
Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a leading nutritional disorder among adolescents globally, with well-documented consequences for brain function and cognitive development. This cross-sectional comparative study investigated characteristics of cognitive impairment in 120 adolescents aged 12-17 years in the Fergana region of Uzbekistan. Sixty adolescents with confirmed IDA were compared with 60 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Cognitive function was assessed using the Schulte Table Test, Digit Span Task, Stroop Color-Word Test, and Trail Making Test. Adolescents with IDA showed significantly impaired performance across all cognitive domains - sustained attention, working memory, executive function, and processing speed - compared to controls. Anemia severity correlated inversely with cognitive composite scores. Female adolescents were disproportionately affected. These findings highlight the burden of anemia-related cognitive dysfunction in adolescents and support integration of cognitive screening within routine anemia management protocols.
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