What is the mechanism by which thyroid hormone increases dementia risk? Elizabeth Tracey reports

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:06 — 1.5MB)

Subscribe: RSS

High blood pressure, high cholesterol…some things that increase the risk for dementia make sense. What about excess thyroid hormone, or thyrotoxicosis, as shown in a recent Johns Hopkins study? Jennifer Mammen, an endocrinologist and one of the study’s authors, says one mechanism makes sense.

For people with thyrotoxicosis so a 40% increase in risk increase in risk. Risk is a little bit age dependent, flattened out as people got over the age of 75. Part of what I think is happening is excess thyroid hormone probably doesn't cause dementia, I think it's probably an accelerant for dementia. Thyroid hormone increases your metabolic rate and we know that other things that increase metabolism are also risk factors for dementia like diabetes.   :30

Mammen says if you’re taking thyroid hormone it’s worth measuring hormone levels on occasion just to make sure they’re not too high. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.