Could low brain iron affect thinking and self-control in kids and teens
Official title: Brain iron as a neurodevelopmental mechanism for transdianostic executive dysfunction
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11163536 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work explores whether low iron in the brain is linked to attention, memory, and self-control problems in children and adolescents, including those with ADHD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R00MH127293-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11163536 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and adolescents, especially those with ADHD or noticeable problems with attention, working memory, or self-control, and those with low blood iron, would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People whose cognitive symptoms are unrelated to iron levels (for example from brain injury or purely genetic conditions) or adults outside the studied age range may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
You would give a blood sample, do tests of attention, memory, and impulse control, and have a brain MRI so researchers can measure iron levels in the body and brain. The team will analyze a very large community dataset and a separate group with more psychiatric diagnoses, and they will follow an additional set of adolescents over time. By comparing blood iron, brain iron on MRI, and performance on thinking tasks, they aim to see whether low brain iron explains executive problems across diagnoses. If a link is found, it could point toward prevention or treatment steps focused on correcting iron deficiency in young people.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify iron-related causes of thinking and attention problems and suggest ways to prevent or treat them by addressing iron deficiency.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research links low iron to cognitive and behavioral problems, but using brain iron measures in large adolescent samples to explain transdiagnostic executive dysfunction is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Larsen, Bart — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Larsen, Bart
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.