ELECTRODERMAL ACTIVITY IN NONMEDICATED HYPERTHYROID PATIENTS HAVING NO DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the alteration in hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis function results in electroder mal abnormality without causing marked psychiatric manifestations or n ot. Electrodermal activity was recorded with the skin conductance unit and IBM-AT computer. Basal levels of electrodermal activity (EDA), as well as responsivity to repeated insignificant acoustic stimulation w ere studied in 24 nonmedicated hyperthyroid patients and 35 healthy co ntrols. The outcome of psychiatric raring scores indicated that patien ts had low anxiety scores and normal depression scores. The basal leve ls of thyroid hormones were higher in patients, when compared with the control group. On the analysis of EDA, we found lower onset latency a nd duration of the skin conductance response and higher skin conductan ce level in nonmedicated patients than healthy controls. The results a bove provide supporting evidence that the change of hypothalamic-pitui tary-thyroid axis function results in abnormal EDA, without causing ma rked psychiatric manifestations. (C) 1997 Society of Biological Psychi atry.