BackgroundA great deal of evidence has shown that iron is an important component in cognitive, sensorimotor, and social-emotional development and functioning, because the development of central nervous system processes is highly dependent on iron-containing enzymes and proteins. Deficiency of iron in early life may increase the risk of psychiatric morbidity.MethodsUtilizing the National Health Insurance Database from 1996 to 2008, children and adolescents with a diagnosis of IDA were identified and compared with age and gender-matched controls (1:4) in an investigation of the increased risk of psychiatric disorders.ResultsA total of 2957 patients with IDA, with an increased risk of unipolar depressive disorder (OR = 2.34, 95% CI = 1.58 ~ 3.46), bipolar disorder (OR = 5.78, 95% CI = 2.23 ~ 15.05), anxiety disorder (OR = 2.17, 95% CI = 1.49 ~ 3.16), autism spectrum disorder (OR = 3.08, 95% CI = 1.79 ~ 5.28), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.29 ~ 2.17), tic disorder (OR = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.03 ~ 2.78), developmental delay (OR = 2.45, 95% CI = 2.00 ~ 3.00), and mental retardation (OR = 2.70, 95% CI = 2.00 ~ 3.65), were identified. A gender effect was noted, in that only female patients with IDA had an increased OR of bipolar disorder (OR = 5.56, 95% CI = 1.98 ~ 15.70) and tic disorder (OR = 2.95, 95% CI = 1.27 ~ 6.86).ConclusionIron deficiency increased the risk of psychiatric disorders, including mood disorders, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and developmental disorders. Further study is required to clarify the mechanism in the association between IDA and psychiatric disorder.

This is the first large-scale study to report an association between antidepressant response history and subsequent change in diagnosis from major depressive disorder to bipolar disorder. Our findings support the view that a history of poor response to antidepressants in unipolar depression could be a useful predictor for bipolar diathesis.

A significant association among ADHD, tic disorder, and allergic diseases was noted in our study. The results may inspire further studies to clarify the underlying mechanisms and help us understand more about the complex etiology of ADHD, tic disorder, and their co-occurrence.

OBJECTIVEStudies have suggested the association between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM)-related risk factors, such as obesity and dyslipidemia. However, the association between ASD and type 2 DM remains unknown. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSWe used the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database for enrolling 6,122 adolescents and young adults with ASD and 24,488 age-and sex-matched control subjects between 2002 and 2009 and monitored them until the end of 2011. Participants who developed type 2 DM during the follow-up period were identified. RESULTS Adolescents (hazard ratio CONCLUSIONSAdolescents and young adults with ASD were more likely to develop type 2 DM during the follow-up. In addition, those with ASD using atypical antipsychotics exhibited a high risk. Therefore, further research is necessary to investigate the common pathophysiology of ASD and type 2 DM.Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairment in social cognition, interaction, and communication as well as by repetitive behavior and restricted interests (1-3). Population reports have revealed a consistent and significant rise in ASD prevalence worldwide of ;0.6-0.7%; the latest large-scale studies have estimated a 1-2% increase (1-3). Males are 2 to 3 times more likely to be affected by ASD than are females, indicating the crucial role of sex-linked factors at the genetic, endocrine, epigenetic, and environmental levels in the pathophysiology of ASD (1-3). However, the precise etiology of ASD remains unclear.

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