Brain Iron and ADHD

A newly published study in the journal Radiology showed a correlation between brain iron when patients with ADHD were compared to medicated patients with ADHD and when compared to neurotypical ("normal") patients.  Iron deficiency has long been thought a culprit when it comes to ADHD syptoms, but in this study, patients had comparable blood iron levels.  The only difference was in the levels of iron in the brain, as measured by MRI.

While on the surface, you would think that taking more iron should increase the brain iron level.  However, this study actually supports the idea that it doesn't matter how much iron you ingest.  Its the amount that the brain absorbs that is important.  Unfortunately, the only way that they demonstrated normalization of brain iron was stimulant medication.

If the study doesn't suggest a treatment for ADHD, at least it shows promise for a possible way to objectively diagnose ADHD.    The study was small, but if there is enough interest, perhaps a test based on this finding will be developed that will help the problems of over and under diagnosis.

This study is also important because it demostrates that the ADHD brain is different from the neurotypical brain, and that ADHD is not something that can simply be corrected by better parenting/school behavioral management.  This study is one of many brain function studies that demonstrate that these things may be important but are not the root cause of ADHD.

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