Hypothyroidism & Your Brain: Depression

Many patients suffering from hypothyroidism are depressed—they can't think clearly and have trouble with motivation. They have all but given up. For this reason, next to thyroid hormone replacement therapy, anti-depressants are the most prescribed drugs for patients with hypothyroidism.

Why do depression, as well as other cognitive problems, affect individuals with hypothyroidism? There are several possible reasons, which can be found in the brain.

1. Suppressed frontal lobe activity. The frontal lobe is the part of the brain that is referred to as the Executive Center and is responsible for planning, organizing and following through with decisions, recognizing consequences of behavior, and deciding between good and bad.

2. Decreased use of dopamine. Dopamine is responsible for reward-oriented behaviors. Lack of dopamine can cause the feeling of being overwhelmed by stress, hopelessness, preferring to be isolated from others, distraction from tasks, difficulty completing tasks, anger & aggression when under stress, and being tired despite adequate sleep.

3. Increased neurodegenerative changes in the brain. These changes cause premature aging of the brain in hypothyroid patients.

4. Damaged brain tissue. More than 50 percent of patients with autoimmune disease experience an autoimmune attack against more than one part of the body. It is not unusual for a patient with Hashimoto's Thyroid to also suffer an autoimmune attack against the brain.

In our clinic, we specialize in managing hypothyroid patients. We are aware of the detrimental effects of hypothyroidism on the brain and we utilize treatment strategies—nutritional and neurological—to improve cognitive functioning, reduce depression, and counter the aging process.

If you have hypothyroidism, “Don't give up!"