Alterations in Gray Matter Morphology and Functional Connectivity in Adult Patients with Newly Diagnosed Untreated Hypothyroidism
Authors' conclusion
Untreated adult-onset hypothyroidism may be associated with impaired cognition and anxiety or depression. GM morphological alterations and FC of the cerebellum with subregions of the frontal and parietal lobes may represent key neuropathological mechanisms underlying the cognitive deterioration and mood dysregulation observed in hypothyroid adults.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with newly diagnosed untreated hypothyroidism and matched healthy controls; 3D T1-weighted and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Participants
- 44 vs 54
- Exposure
- Newly diagnosed untreated hypothyroidism vs healthy controls
- Hypothyroidn = 44
- Healthy controls (HCs)n = 54reference
- Outcome
- Brain morphology and functional connectivity (FC)
Methodological detailsobservational
- Observational
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Reduced gray matter (GM) volumes in hypothyroid patients: right superior frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area
- Increased GM volumes in hypothyroid patients: bilateral cerebellar Crus I, left precentral gyrus
- Increased functional connectivity (FC) in hypothyroid patients between right cerebellar Crus I and left precentral gyrus, triangular part of inferior frontal gyrus, and angular gyrus of inferior parietal lobe
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Neuropsychological scores
- Hypothyroid vs HCs: lower total and subdomain Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores; higher HAMD-24 and HAMA scores
Correlation of MoCA language score with Jacobian values
- Left supplementary motor area
- r = 0.391, p = 0.046
- Precentral gyrus
- r = 0.401, p = 0.039
ROC: FC between cerebellar Crus I and angular gyrus to differentiate groups
- Sensitivity
- 75%
- Specificity
- 77.8%
- AUC
- 0.794 [CI 0.701-0.888], p < 0.001
Original publication
Alterations in Gray Matter Morphology and Functional Connectivity in Adult Patients with Newly Diagnosed Untreated Hypothyroidism. Thyroid. Published 22 June 2023. doi:10.
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