Cortical Gray Matter Thickness and Volume Changes and Their Association with Memory Functions in Hyperthyroid...

Area of Science:

• Neuroendocrinology
• Neuroimaging
• Brain Structure

Background:

• Hyperthyroidism, an endocrine disorder from excessive thyroid hormones, impacts brain function.
• Neuroimaging advances allow investigation of brain alterations in hyperthyroidism.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine regional cortical thickness and volume differences in hyperthyroid patients versus controls.
• To correlate brain structural changes with thyroid hormone levels and cognitive function.

Main Methods:

• Utilized high-resolution MRI and FreeSurfer software for cortical analysis.
• Compared 34 hyperthyroid patients with 35 healthy controls, controlling for age, sex, education, and intracranial volume.
• Performed correlation analyses between clinical/neuropsychological variables and brain structure.

Main Results:

• Hyperthyroid patients showed significantly increased cortical thickness in superior temporal and frontal gyri.
• Elevated cortical volumes were observed in several brain regions, including the right superior temporal and frontal gyri.
• Thyroid hormones positively correlated with cortical thickness/volume in specific areas; memory scores negatively correlated with cortical thickness.

Conclusions:

• Cortical thickening and increased volume in specific brain areas offer insights into hyperthyroidism-related brain impairment.
• Findings highlight structural brain changes associated with thyroid hormone excess.