Summary: Older adults with hypothyroidism have a higher risk of developing dementia. The risk is even greater in those who need thyroid hormone replacement therapy to treat their condition.
Source: ON
Older people with hypothyroidism, also called hypoactive thyroid, may be at increased risk of developing dementia, according to a study published in the July 6, 2022 issue of Neurology Online.
The risk of developing dementia was even higher for people whose thyroid disease required thyroid hormone replacement medications.
Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones. This can slow down the metabolism. Symptoms include feeling tired, weight gain, and sensitivity to cold.
“In some cases, thyroid disorders have been associated with dementia symptoms that may be reversible with treatment,” said study author Chien-Hsiang Weng, MD, MPH, of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
“While more studies are needed to confirm these findings, people should be aware of thyroid problems as a possible risk factor for dementia and therapies that could prevent or slow down irreversible cognitive decline.”
For the study, researchers examined the health records of 7,843 people recently diagnosed with dementia in Taiwan and compared them with the same number of people who did not have dementia. His average age was 75 years. The researchers looked to see who had a history of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
Hyperthyroidism, also called hyperactive thyroid, is when the thyroid produces too much hormone. This can increase metabolism. Symptoms include unwanted weight loss, rapid or irregular heartbeats, and nervousness or anxiety.
A total of 102 people had hypothyroidism and 133 had hyperthyroidism.
The researchers found no link between hyperthyroidism and dementia.
Of those with dementia, 68 people, or 0.9%, had hypothyroidism, compared with 34 of those without dementia, or 0.4%.
Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones. This can slow down the metabolism. Symptoms include feeling tired, weight gain, and sensitivity to cold. The image is in the public domain
When the researchers adjusted for other factors that could affect the risk of dementia, such as sex, age, high blood pressure, and diabetes, they found that people over 65 with hypothyroidism had 80% more. of chances of developing dementia than people of the same age who suffered from it. not having thyroid problems.
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For people under 65, having a history of hypothyroidism was not associated with an increased risk of dementia.
When the researchers looked only at people taking medication for hypothyroidism, they found that they were three times more likely to develop dementia than those who were not taking medication. “One explanation for this could be that these people are more likely to suffer greater symptoms of hypothyroidism where treatment was needed,” Weng said.
Weng noted that the observational study does not show that hypothyroidism is a cause of dementia; only shows an association.
One limitation of the study was that the researchers were unable to include information on the severity of hypothyroidism for participants.
About this dementia research news
Author: Natalie ConradSource: AANCContact: Natalie Conrad – AANImage: The image is in the public domain
Original research: the findings will appear in Neurology