Abstract #1474

Georgieff M, Ward K, Rao R, Tkac I, Lozoff B, Felt B

Gestational and postnatal iron deficiency (ID) impairs hippocampus-dependent recognition memory and is accompanied by changes in the neurochemical profile. In this study in vivo 1H NMR spectroscopy at 9.4 T was used to investigate effects of ID on developing rat striatum. Developmental trajectories of the ID group (n=10) and the control group (n=10) were similar. However, small but significant changes in concentrations of multiple metabolites (Gln, Glu, Glc, Lac, myo-Ins, NAA, tCho, Tau) and metabolite ratio (PCr/Cr) between the groups were observed. Neurochemical changes correlated with delayed performance in striatum-dependent behavioral tests in the ID group.