Older people with hypothyroidism, also called underactive thyroid, may be at increased risk of developing dementia, according to a new study.
The risk of developing dementia is even higher for people whose condition required thyroid hormone replacement medication, the researchers report.
Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland doesn’t make enough thyroid hormones, which can slow metabolism. Symptoms include fatigue, weight gain, and sensitivity to cold.
“In some cases, thyroid disorders have been associated with dementia symptoms that can be reversible with treatment,” says Chien-Hsiang Weng, a clinical assistant professor of family medicine at Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School and lead author of the study in the journal Neurology….