Am J Psychiatry 1986; 143:633-636
Copyright © 1986 by American Psychiatric Association
The effect of changing thyroid function on cyclic affective illness in a human subject
MS Bauer and PC Whybrow
Thyroid function abnormalities are common in persons with rapid-cycling
bipolar affective illness. Some women who cycle rapidly respond to
thyroxine, but there is scant evidence that the people who have thyroid
abnormalities are the ones who respond to thyroid treatment. The authors
report successful thyroxine treatment of a man whose rapid cycling began
and resolved after changes in his thyroid status. The period of his
affective cycle was altered by both lithium and thyroxine. The authors
suggest that CNS thyroid status may determine the clinical course of some
persons with a fixed cycle of affective episodes.
