The following is a summary of “Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Association Between Thyroid Function and Depression: A Population-Based Study,” published in the May 2024 issue of Endocrinology by Dueñas, et al.
Research has suggested an association between thyroid function and mood disorders, but few longitudinal studies have explored this link. For a study, researchers sought to investigate the cross-sectional and longitudinal association between thyroid function and depression in a population-based cohort.
The study included 9,471 individuals for cross-sectional analyses, with 8,366 participants providing longitudinal data. Thyroid function was assessed using serum samples (including thyrotropin [TSH], free thyroxine [FT4], and thyroid peroxidase antibodies). At the same time, depressive symptoms were measured using the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. Incident depressive events were monitored longitudinally through CES-D scores and clinical interviews. Cross-sectional associations between thyroid function/thyroid disease and depressive symptoms were analyzed using linear and logistic regression, while longitudinal associations with depressive events were assessed using Cox proportional hazard models.
Lower TSH levels and lower/higher FT4 levels were cross-sectionally associated with more depressive symptoms (B value: −0.07 per 1 unit increase of natural log-transformed TSH) (95% CI −0.11; −0.04). Hypothyroidism was associated with fewer depressive symptoms, while hyperthyroidism was linked to more depressive symptoms. Longitudinally, a U-shaped association was observed between FT4 levels and incident depressive events, but only among euthyroid participants.
The study highlighted a cross-sectional association between thyroid (dys)function and depressive symptoms, as well as a U-shaped relationship between FT4 levels and incident depressive events among euthyroid individuals. While suggesting a link between thyroid function and depression risk, the findings necessitated consideration of additional factors and the possibility of reverse causation.
Reference: academic.oup.com/jcem/article/109/5/e1389/7321737
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