MODULATION OF THE NEUROENDOCRINE SYSTEM AND IMMUNE FUNCTIONS BY ZINC SUPPLEMENTATION IN CHILDREN WITH DOWNS-SYNDROME

Plasma levels of TSH, T4, T3, and reversal T3 (rT3) were measured in 5 1 children with trisomy of the chromosome 21 and in 15 controls. Level s of TSH were higher in children with DS than in controls and rT3 leve ls were decreased. However, T3 and T4 levels were in the normal range. Plasmic zinc and thymulin, a zinc-dependent thymic hormone, were also decreased. After dietary supplementation with ZnSO4, levels of plasmi c zinc, thymulin, TSH and rT3 were restored. A follow up of DS childre n one year after the cessation of zinc therapy showed that plasma leve ls of zinc decreased and TSH lightly increased. Zinc deficiency may pl ay a crucial role in the pathogenesis of thyroid gland disfunction whi ch leads to the autoimmune hypothyroidism often observed in this syndr ome.