Sub-Chronic 30 mg/kg Iron Treatment Induces Spatial Cognition Impairment and Brain Oxidative Stress in Wistar Rats.

Iron overload has been shown to have deleterious effects in the brain through the formation of reactive oxygen species, which ultimately may contribute to neurodegenerative disorders. Accordingly, rodent studies have indicated that systemic administration of iron produces excess iron in the brain and results in behavioral and cognitive deficits. To what extent cognitive abilities are affected and which neurobiological mechanisms underlie those deficits remain to be more fully characterized.