Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome and Neurobiological Features: The Relationship Between Ferritin and Iron Parameters in Children Diagnosed With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective To investigate whether iron metabolism differs among children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who also exhibit symptoms of cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS).Methods The sample included 105 children aged 8 to 12 years, categorized into three groups: inattentive ADHD with CDS, inattentive ADHD, and combined-type ADHD. Hematological measures were obtained from concurrent routine clinical records. Thresholds for deficiency were defined as serum iron <30 μg/dL and ferritin <20 μg/L. Clinical and demographic data were analyzed to compare differences across the groups.Results Children exhibiting CDS symptoms demonstrated significantly lower ferritin levels compared to other groups. Furthermore, the CDS group was associated with lower socioeconomic status and higher rates of maternal hyperemesis gravidarum. While serum iron levels displayed a nonsignificant downward trend in the CDS group, other hematological parameters did not differ significantly.Conclusion Lower ferritin levels may indicate an early biological vulnerability underlying the development of CDS in children with ADHD. These findings suggest that monitoring iron parameters could have clinical implications, and future research should prospectively explore the etiological role of iron deficiency in CDS symptoms.