COGNITIVE FUNCTION, THYROID STATUS AND POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION

Impairment of cognitive function can occur with thyroid disorder and a lso with depression. Since depression occurs in conjunction with postp artum autoimmune thyroiditis, the question arises as to whether any im pairment of cognitive function in postpartum women is related to chang e in thyroid status or to depressed mood. A total of 242 women (110 th yroid antibody-positive and 132 antibody-negative) were assessed at 8, 12, 20 and 28 weeks postpartum in the outpatients of a district gener al hospital. Thyroid antibody levels (antimicrosomal and antithyroglob ulin) were monitored at monthly intervals, together with plasma T3, T4 and thyroid-stimulating hormone. The main outcome measures were Resea rch Diagnostic Criteria for depression, the 17-item Hamilton Depressio n Rating Scale and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, together with reaction time and digit span. Subjects with postnatal depression showed detectable cognitive impairment independent of thyroid antibody status and actual thyroid dysfunction.