The impact and psychological manifestations of thyroid dysfunction

Primary Psychiatry. 2007;14(6):36-38 In Session with Russell T. Joffe, MD: The Impact and Psychological Manifestations of Thyroid Dysfunction Russell T. Joffe, MD interviewed by Norman Sussman, MD Q: The use of thyroid hormone to augment antidepressant response has been reported for decades. How did this strategy enter the realm of clinical practice?A: In the 1960s, researchers began examining thyroid hormone use related to antidepressant treatment for two reasons. First, there was a well-described association between clinical thyroid disease and depression. It was assumed that if clinical hypothyroidism caused depression, an underlying thyroid abnormality-presumably some subtle thyroid hypofunction-would be present in depressed patients. Second, researchers found that if hyperthyroidic patients were given tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), they showed a greater toxicity to the antidepressant. Thus, it was assumed that if thyroid status was manipulated in depressed patients, a therapeutic benefit could be obtained. This was the rationale for early studies examining thyroid hormone augmentation.More... © 2007 Primary Psychiatry a Publication of MBL Communications (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info)