The relationship between thyroid function and cerebral blood flow in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 14; no. 4; p. e0214676
• Main Authors: Nomoto, Shohei, Kinno, Ryuta, Ochiai, Hirotaka, Kubota, Satomi, Mori, Yukiko, Futamura, Akinori, Sugimoto, Azusa, Kuroda, Takeshi, Yano, Satoshi, Murakami, Hidetomo, Shirasawa, Takako, Yoshimoto, Takahiko, Minoura, Akira, Kokaze, Akatsuki, Ono, Kenjiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 03.04.2019; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; Alzheimer Disease - physiopathology; Alzheimer's disease; Biology and Life Sciences; Blood; Blood flow; Brain; CAT scans; Cerebral blood flow; Cerebral circulation; Cerebrovascular Circulation; Cognition & reasoning; Cognitive ability; Cognitive disorders; Cognitive Dysfunction - physiopathology; Computation; Computed tomography; Dementia; Diagnosis; Diagnostic imaging; Disease prevention; Emission analysis; Emissions; Female; Glycoproteins; Health aspects; Health care; Hippocampus; Hormones; Humans; Hygiene; Hypothyroidism; Impairment; Linear Models; Male; Medical research; Medical schools; Medicine and Health Sciences; Memory; Metabolism; Middle Aged; Multiple regression analysis; Neurology; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Patients; Perfusion; Photon emission; Pituitary hormones; Preventive medicine; Public health; Regression analysis; Research and Analysis Methods; Single photon emission computed tomography; Studies; Systematic review; Thyroid; Thyroid Function Tests; Thyroid gland; Thyroid Gland - physiopathology; Thyroid hormones; Thyroid Hormones - blood; Tomography; Triiodothyronine; Japan
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214676
• ISSN: 1932-6203

The thyroid hormones have been reported to be associated with cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. The relationship between thyroid function within the normal range and cerebral blood flow in Alzheimer's disease patients has been shown in a recent study. Mild cognitive impairment is often the first stage of Alzheimer's disease; thus, early diagnosis is important. The present study investigated the relationship between thyroid function and regional cerebral blood flow in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. A total of 122 memory clinic outpatients who underwent thyroid function testing and single photon emission computed tomography were divided into mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, and Normal groups. Regional cerebral blood flow was calculated using a three-dimensional stereotactic region of interest template in an automated cerebral perfusion single photon emission computed tomography analysis system. Multiple regression analysis adjusted for age and sex was conducted to examine the relationships between thyroid hormones and regional cerebral blood flow. Thyroid stimulating hormone was significantly associated with regional cerebral blood flow in the bilateral temporal, bilateral pericallosal, and bilateral hippocampal regions in the mild cognitive impairment group. In the Alzheimer's disease group, free triiodothyronine was significantly associated with regional cerebral blood flow in the bilateral parietal, right temporal, and bilateral pericallosal regions. The present study showed the association of thyroid stimulating hormone with regional cerebral blood flow in the mild cognitive impairment group and the association of free triiodothyronine with regional cerebral blood flow in the Alzheimer's disease group. These study findings could contribute to the early diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment at general memory clinics and the prevention of subsequent progression to Alzheimer's disease.