[Psychiatric and cognitive aspects of hypothyroidism].
BACKGROUND
Diffuse and initial changes of behaviour, mood and cognition in hypothyroidism represent diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.


METHODS
We present four cases and discuss relevant literature. Patients were followed from time of diagnosis through the first 6-12 months of thyroxine treatment. Symptoms were identified using interviews, questionnaires and tests.


RESULTS
The patients had reduced quality of life, depression, anxiety and impaired short time memory. All symptoms improved with thyroxine treatment, although patients did not necessarily reach premorbid functioning in 6-12 months. In the literature, depression in hypothyroidism is hypothesised to be at least partly caused by relative hypothyroidism in the central nervous system, and local brain triiodothyronine deficiency may be a possible explanation for affective and cognitive symptoms in subclinical hypothyroidism.


CONCLUSIONS
Physicians should actively address psychiatric and cognitive aspects of hypothyroidism and in addition to thyroxine offer supportive treatment, especially to those depressed.
Bjerke
S N
SN
Psykiatrisk avdeling Sentralsykehuset i Akershus 1474 Nordbyhagen. synnovenessbjerke@hotmail.com
Bjøro
T
T
Heyerdahl
S
S
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D011613:Psychotherapy; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D013974:Thyroxine
Psykiatriske og kognitive aspekter ved hypotyreose.