The association of thyroid stimulating hormone levels with cognitive function and depressed mood: the Rancho Bernardo study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association of thyroid stimulating hormone levels with cognitive function and depressed mood in a community-based sample.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Clinic visit in 1999- 2003.


METHODS
Community-dwelling men (N=447) and women (N=663) aged 42-99 years.


METHODS
Cognitive function was assessed with the Buschke-Fuld Selective Reminding Test, the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination, Trails B, and category fluency. Depressed mood was assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). A fasting blood sample was obtained for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) measurement.


RESULTS
Mean age was 73.6 +/- 10.0 in men and 74.3 +/- 10.4 in women. Mean TSH was 1.9 mu IU/ml in both sexes; 9.0% of men and 24% of women reported thyroid medication use. Mean BDI scores were 4.6 +/- 4.1 in men and 5.2 +/- 4.3 in women; 9% of men and 11% of women used antidepressants. Before and after adjustment for covariates or exclusion of participants taking thyroid hormones, no associations were observed between TSH and cognitive function (ps > 0.10). TSH was inversely associated with BDI (p=0.03) in men, but not women.


CONCLUSIONS
Thyroid stimulating hormone level was unrelated to cognitive function in men and women, and was inversely associated with depressed mood in men only, possibly reflecting the greater use of both thyroid medications and antidepressants by women.
Kritz-Silverstein
D
D
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California-San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0607, USA. dsilverstein@ucsd.edu
Schultz
S T
ST
Palinska
L A
LA
Wingard
D L
DL
Barrett-Connor
E
E
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood*; D004358:Drug Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012737:Sex Factors; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood*
D013972:Thyrotropin