A cognitive disorder corresponds to an alteration of one or more cognitive functions, whatever the mechanism involved, its origin or its reversibility. It can concern memory, language, reasoning, coordination of movements, learning, judgment, or even organization. It usually appears in older people and it can have a neurological, psychiatric, or medicinal origin according to the High Authority of Health.
A study from Johns Hopkins Medicine (United States) published on October 23, 2023 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, leaned on the association between excess thyroid hormones following treatment and a higher risk of developing cognitive disorders. “Our goal was to determine whether aggressive treatment practices, which can cause exogenous thyrotoxicosis, can also cause cognitive damage.“said Roy Adams, one of the authors of the study, in a press release. For this, the researchers studied more than 60,000 patients aged over 65 and who had been treated within the Johns Hopkins health system between 2014 and 2023.
Cognitive disorders: excess thyroid hormones associated with a 39% increase in risk
At the end of the study, the researchers observed that thyrotoxicosisthat is to say the excess of thyroid hormones in the body, was associated with a 39% increased risk of cognitive impairment in older adultswhether due to exogenous (caused by ingestion of thyroid medications) or endogenous (caused by thyroid disorders such as hyperthyroidism or Graves’ disease) thyrotoxicosis.
The study scientists conclude that Thyroid hormone exposure levels correlate with degree of risk of cognitive impairment among the participants. Indeed, they noted that patients with a greater excess of thyroid hormones had a 65% increased risk of developing cognitive disorders, while those with a more moderate excess of hormones had a 23% increased risk. .
Cognitive decline and thyrotoxicosis: results calling for monitoring thyroid hormone treatments
According to the researchers, this study demonstrates the precautions to be taken regarding thyroid hormone therapy in older people. “Our results suggest that a increased risk of cognitive impairment is one of the potential negative consequences of excess thyroid hormones, a common consequence of thyroid hormone therapy“, explained Jennifer Mammen, another author of the study. Thus, “clinicians considering thyroid hormone therapy in older adults should avoid overtreatment by using age-appropriate treatment strategies“, she recommends.
Sources
Press release – Johns Hopkins Medicine
High Authority for Health – Cognitive disorders and neurocognitive disorders
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