A survey study of neuropsychiatric complaints in patients with Graves' disease

One hundred thirty-seven patients with treated Graves' disease completed a questionnaire pertaining to neuropsychiatric complaints. Psychiatric symptoms, especially anxiety and irritability, were common prior to treatment of hyperthyroidism. These complaints appeared to result in delays in seeking treatment as well as delays in receiving appropriate diagnosis. Subjects reported significantly worse memory, attention, planning, and productivity while hyperthyroid than prior to becoming hyperthyroid, and, although somewhat improved once euthyroid, they reported residual cognitive deficits. These results suggest that neuropsychiatric impairments are highly prevalent in Graves' disease, may lead to initial misdiagnosis or delays in diagnosis of the endocrine disorder, and may continue even once patients are believed to be euthyroid.