Bipolar Disorder Linked to Thyroid Disease
Willem Nolen, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Groningen Medical Centre, Netherlands, found that bipolar patients were twice as likely as healthy subjects to develop autoimmune thyroiditis. Among the offspring of parents with bipolar disorder, who usually have an increased prevalence of bipolar and other mood disorders, there also was an increased prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis. Surprisingly, this finding did not seem to be related to whether their offspring themselves had been diagnosed with a psychiatric illness.
Among identical twins (who share all their genes) with at least one twin having bipolar disorder, prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis was increased in the other twin, irrespective of whether the other twin also had bipolar disorder.
However among fraternal twins (who share 50 percent of their genes) with at least one fraternal twin having bipolar disorder, prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis. was increased only in the other fraternal twin who also had bipolar disorder, but was not increased in the fraternal twin without the illness.
Dr. Nolen's research highlights the increasing importance of identifying endophenotypes – clinical information unique to certain groups of individuals that may be predictive of risk for disease and course of illness. Although associated genes for bipolar disorder and autoimmune thyroiditis have yet to be identified, autoimmune thyroiditis may be an endophenotype for bipolar disorder. As such, the findings suggest that relatives of patients with bipolar disorder not only inherit the vulnerability for bipolar disorder and other mood disorders, but that some also may share the genetic vulnerability for developing autoimmune thyroiditis.
If proven valid in further studies, the research suggests that members of families in which bipolar disorder occurs could be tested for autoimmune thyroiditis by means of a simple blood analysis, thereby helping to identify those who also may be at risk for developing bipolar disorder.
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Autoimmune Thyroiditis Linked to Bipolar Disorder
About's Site on Bipolar Disoder
Source: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Comments
High rate of autoimmune thyroiditis in bipolar disorder: lack of association with lithium exposure.
BACKGROUND: We assessed the prevalence of thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPO-Abs) and thyroid failure in outpatients with bipolar disorder compared with two control groups. METHODS: The TPO-Abs of outpatients with DSM-IV bipolar disorder (n = 226), a population control group (n = 252), and psychiatric inpatients of any diagnosis (n = 3190) were measured. Thyroid failure was defined as a raised thyroid stimulating hormone level, previously diagnosed hypothyroidism, or both. Subjects were compared with attention to age, gender, and exposure to lithium. RESULTS: The TPO-Abs were more prevalent in bipolar patients (28%) than population and psychiatric controls (3-18%). The presence of TPO-Abs in bipolar patients was associated with thyroid failure, but not with age, gender, mood state, rapid cycling, or lithium exposure. Thyroid failure was present in 17% of bipolar patients and more prevalent in women. It was associated with lithium exposure, especially in the presence of TPO-Abs, but not with current rapid cycling, although an association may have been masked by thyroid hormone replacement. CONCLUSIONS: Thyroid autoimmunity was highly prevalent in this sample of outpatients with bipolar disorder and not associated with lithium treatment. These variables appear to be independent risk factors for the development of hypothyroidism, especially in women with bipolar disorder.
Biol Psychiatry. 2002 Feb 15;51(4):305-11.
PMID: 11958781 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=11958781&query_hl=9&itool=pubmed_docsum
· Kupka RW,
· Nolen WA,
· Post RM,
· McElroy SL,
· Altshuler LL,
· Denicoff KD,
· Frye MA,
· Keck PE Jr,
· Leverich GS,
· Rush AJ,
· Suppes T,
· Pollio C,
· Drexhage HA.
Altrecht Centre for Mental Health Care and University Medical Centre Utrecht, Vrouwjuttenhof 18, 3512 PZ Utrecht, The Netherlands
posted by Bob 14th Oct 2006
http://www.wpic.pitt.edu/stanley/6thbipconf/
SIXTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
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http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1399-5618.2005.00233.x
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