Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Although overt hypothyroidism has been documented as exerting detrimental effects on cognition and behavior, it remains controversial whether subclinical hypothyroidism or euthyroid patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) under levothyroxine (LT4) treatment may experience any noticeable decline in cognitive function. PATIENTS: Two otherwise healthy, highly-functioning, first-degree relatives with a diagnosis of HT, under LT4 treatment for two years, were prospectively recruited into a clinical research study setting and followed for a year. MEASUREMENTS: Thyroid functions tests and a detailed battery of tests assessing global cognitive status, attention, verbal and working memory, visuoperceptual skills, executive functions and mood were performed at baseline and at one year after recruitment. RESULTS: Overall, patients’ performance on the neuropsychological battery was good and, in the majority of cognitive functions, their performance could be characterized as exceptional. No noticeable changes in any of the studied parameters were detected. CONCLUSIONS: The present case study failed to detect any noticeable changes in the cognitive and emotional function of two women with HT under LT4 treatment. The course of cognitive function of the two HT patients, evaluated by a detailed battery of tests, tends to confirm the benign nature of HT.
Article PDF
References
Marino M, Latrofa F, Barbesino G, Chiovato L, 1999 Pathogenetic and clinical aspects of autoimmune thyroiditis. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 107: Suppl 3: 79–83.
Carta MG, Loviselli A, Hardoy MC, et al, 2004 The link between thyroid autoimmunity (antithyroid peroxidase autoantibodies) with anxiety and mood disorders in the community: a field of interest for public health in the future. BMC Psychiatry 4: 25.
Jackson IM, 1998 The thyroid axis and depression. Thyroid 8: 951–956.
Grigorova M, Sherwin BB, 2012 Thyroid hormones and cognitive functioning in healthy, euthyroid women: a correlational study. Horm Behav 61: 617–622.
Wekking EM, Appelhof BC, Fliers E, et al, 2005 Cognitive functioning and well-being in euthyroid patients on thyroxine replacement therapy for primary hypothyroidism. Eur J Endocrinol 153: 747–753.
Engum A, Bjoro T, Mykletun A, Dahl AA, 2005 Thyroid autoimmunity, depression and anxiety; are there any connections? An epidemiological study of a large population. J Psychosom Res 59: 263–268.
Jorde R, Waterloo K, Storhaug H, Nyrnes A, Sundsfjord J, Jenssen TG, 2006 Neuropsychological function and symptoms in subjects with subclinical hypothyroidism and the effect of thyroxine treatment. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 91: 145–153.
Veiel HO, 1997 A preliminary profile of neuropsychological deficits associated with major depression. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 19: 587–603.
Panicker V, 2011 Genetics of thyroid function and disease. The Clin Bioch Rev 32: 165.
Lehrke R 1997 Sex linkage of intelligence. The X-factor. London: Praeger.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Giannouli, V., Toulis, K.A. & Syrmos, N. Cognitive function in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis under levothyroxine treatment. Hormones 13, 430–433 (2014). https://doi.org/10.14310/horm.2002.1507
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14310/horm.2002.1507