[Mental status of patients with iodine-deficiency goiter]

Personality and intellectual characteristics were examined in 76 patients with iodine-deficiency goiter (IDG). Subclinical hypothyroidism forming as early as IDG of the 1st degree impairs abstractive and integral thinking, psychological maladaptation to the disease, high anxiety, neurotism, diminished intellectual performance, deterioration of memory, attention, predominance of thinking of concrete-action type. To prevent intellectual disturbances, IDG patients should receive replacement therapy with adequate doses of thyroid hormones preparations.