DEMENTIA AND THYROID-DYSFUNCTION

Cognitive deficits pretending dementia can be caused by thyroid dysfun ction. The literature addressing pathophysiology and therapy of thyroi d dysfunction is reviewed. A shorter duration and less severe course o f thyroid dysfunction seem to indicate a better response to therapy. T here are not studies on the latency between therapy and response. It i s recommended to measure at least TSH in the differential diagnosis of dementive syndromes. Degenerative dementia can occur in coincidence w ith thyroid dysfunction. Therapy would improve at least symptoms cause d by the thyroid dysfunction.