Effect of Olfactory Manganese Dose on Motor Coordination in Iron-Deficient Rats

Iron (Fe) is an essential metal that plays important roles in physiology. Iron is responsible for a vast array of biochemical reactions, including supporting cell division, oxygen transport and mitochondrial function [1,2]. Iron deficiency is the most prevalent single nutrient deficiency worldwide [2,3] and results in anemia, retarded growth, fatigue, muscle weakness and shortness of breath [2,4,5]. Iron is also required in the brain for neurotransmitter synthesis, neurotransmitter signaling, and myelin synthesis of the oligodendrocytes [6,7]. Many neurological disorders associated with iron deficiency have been reported. For example, iron deficiency has been associated with poor fine and gross motor skills, visual-motor integration, language and global IQ, accompanying higher scores in anxiety and depression as well as social and attention problems [8,10].