Discussion Our large-scale case-control study found that among people aged 65 years or older, those with a history of hypothyroidism were associated with an 81% increased risk of having dementia and among those, there was a more than 3-fold increased dementia risk with thyroid conditions that required thyroid hormone ...
When 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 age 65 with hypothyroidism were 80% more likely to develop dementia than people the same age who did not have thyroid problems.
Symptoms include feeling tired, weight gain and sensitivity to cold. “In some cases, thyroid disorders have been associated with dementia symptoms that can be reversible with treatment,” said study author Chien-Hsiang Weng, MD, MPH, of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Thyroid dysfunction is linked to an increased risk of cognitive impairment. However, studies on the relationships between thyroid diseases and Alzheimer's disease (AD) have reported conflicting results.
Thyroid hormone regulates metabolism in every organ of the body, including the brain. When thyroid hormone is low, it can affect your memory span and ability to concentrate.
But subclinical hyperthyroidism, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels below the normal range, and high free thyroxine (T4) levels increase the risk of dementia among the elderly.
Hypothyroidism is one of the most important causes of potentially reversible dementia. The present case demonstrates a relatively rapid remission of cognitive and noncognitive symptoms within a period of a few months.
Subclinical hypothyroidism is often associated with memory impairment. Conversely, hyperthyroidism causes hyperreflexia, irritability, and anxiety among other symptoms (5). Hypo- or hyperthyroidism can lead to mood disorders, dementia, confusion, and personality changes.
Vitamin B12 has not been proven to cause Alzheimer's or dementia, but studies have shown that increasing B12 intake in women can slow cognitive decline.
Overt hypothyroidism in elderly individuals is a cause of dementia,5 and is prevalent in 2% to 5% of persons aged 65 years and older.
Psychiatric Signs and Symptoms
Many symptoms of psychological dysfunction have been described with hypothyroidism. Those symptoms most commonly related to thyroid deficiency include forgetfulness, fatigue, mental slowness, inattention, and emotional lability.
This finding can be the basis of a hypothesis that chronic, very low levels of vitamin B12 could be the cause of permanent, or at least refractory, changes in cognition and memory, which can lead to dementia.
Hypothyroidism is common in adults and is frequently associated with cognitive issues, such as increased forgetfulness, mental slowing and “brain fog”. However, unlike in congential hypothyroidism, there is limited data on whether hypothyroidism in adults results in structural brain defects.
Thyroid hormone has important effects on brain/cognitive functioning. Severe thyroid disease, either hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, is associated with cognitive deficits such as memory loss, difficulty concentrating and “brain fog”. In the elderly, these deficits could be misdiagnosed as dementia.
True or false: hypothyroidism causes premature aging
With proper treatment, your thyroid hormone function will return to normal, thus reversing some of your “aging” symptoms over time. With untreated hypothyroidism, you will continue to experience symptoms that can mimic premature aging. And the final answer is: true.
The most commonly known supplements are Omega-3s, Vitamin E, Gingko and Turmeric. Omega-3s: The MIND diet, a nutrition plan developed for the prevention of dementia, was developed over a more than 20-year study of thousands of individuals.
It has become common in medical practice that many patients taking thyroid hormone complain of “brain fog,” which often refers to perceived cognitive impairment, physical fatigue, or mood disturbances.
Slowness, impairment of attention and concentration, somnolence, and lethargy are common symptoms in hypothyroidism. Occasionally, a life-threatening encephalopathy known as myxedema coma develops in patients with chronic, untreated hypothyroidism.
There is currently no cure for most types of dementia – including the dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease. These types of dementia are what we call “neurodegenerative.” The progression of these dementias cannot be reversed right now; symptoms gradually get worse.
All thyroid diseases can be treated, resulting in normal thyroid function. However, this frequently requires being on medication to maintain the normal thyroid state. For example, most patients with thyroid cancer can be cured through surgery and radioactive iodine treatments (see Thyroid Cancer brochure).
Vitamin supplementation
Vitamin B, vitamin D, and magnesium are all generally low in people with thyroid conditions. These vitamins play a key role in mental clarity, focus, depression, and overall energy levels.