Question:
Any connection between low thyroid levels and attention deficit disorder?
Response:
Any connection between low thyroid levels and attention deficit disorder?
Not that I know of, but I’m sure it was asked before, so try www.deja.com Some symptoms are similar (lack of concentration, forgetfulness), the hypothyroid are unlikely to have any hyperactivity, which some people with ADD have. So I’m guessing the most likely connection is misdiagnosis. alt.support.thyroid get quite a few people turn up whose chronic fatigue mysteriously turned into hypothyroidism when they get a doctor with a clue, I dare say the same is possible with other disorder.
Response:
Any connection between low thyroid levels and attention deficit disorder? Not that I know of, but I’m sure it was asked before, so try www.deja.com Some symptoms are similar (lack of concentration, forgetfulness), the hypothyroid are unlikely to have any hyperactivity, which some people with ADD have.
No, people with ADHD have hyperactivity. That’s what the "H" is for. ADD is recognized as a different disorder. So I’m guessing the most likely connection is misdiagnosis. alt.support.thyroid get quite a few people turn up whose chronic fatigue mysteriously turned into hypothyroidism when they get a doctor with a clue, I dare say the same is possible with other disorder.
It is quite possible for hypothyroid symptoms to be seen as other disorders rather than hypothyroidism; especially in early stages when TSH is still borderline in the lab ranges but too high for the person. I’ve heard/known of people who have been diagnosed everything from bi-polar to dementia to schizophrenia to OCD to all sorts of things… and then once treated for the thyroid they get better. You don’t usually get "better" with mental illnesses like that. Hypothyroidism is good at masquerading as other things. I can easily see it being mistaken for ADD since it creates ADD like symptoms.
Response:
Some symptoms are similar (lack of concentration, forgetfulness), the hypothyroid are unlikely to have any hyperactivity, which some people with ADD have. No, people with ADHD have hyperactivity. That’s what the "H" is for. ADD is recognized as a different disorder.
Actually, ADHD is the official name. ADHD can be without hyperactivity, with hyperactivity or combined. ADD is the older designation and to my knowledge, not officially used any more. It is quite possible for hypothyroid symptoms to be seen as other disorders rather than hypothyroidism; especially in early stages when TSH is still borderline in the lab ranges but too high for the person. I’ve heard/known of people who have been diagnosed everything from bi-polar to dementia to schizophrenia to OCD to all sorts of things… and then once treated for the thyroid they get better. You don’t usually get "better" with mental illnesses like that. Hypothyroidism is good at masquerading as other things. I can easily see it being mistaken for ADD since it creates ADD like symptoms.
Everything I’ve read on ADHD suggests a thyroid test to rule out thyroid problems, because, yes, they can have similar symptoms. Deb
Response:
Actually, ADHD is the official name. ADHD can be without hyperactivity, with hyperactivity or combined. ADD is the older designation and to my knowledge, not officially used any more.
Well what I do know is that when I researched it in my psychology class last year, we found that ADHD and ADD were very different things because the hyperactivity played an important role in ADHD and the lack of it in ADD created a different structure to the disorder. Having known several people with ADHD and then with ADD I can attest that yes, they are quite different in appearance due to the hyperactivity. Everything I’ve read on ADHD suggests a thyroid test to rule out thyroid problems, because, yes, they can have similar symptoms.
Definitely.. unfortunately a lot of docs that "diagnose" ADD DO NOT test the thyroid. 
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Any connection between low thyroid levels and attention deficit disorder? Not that I know of, but I’m sure it was asked before, so try www.deja.com Some symptoms are similar (lack of concentration, forgetfulness), the hypothyroid are unlikely to have any hyperactivity, which some people with ADD have. No, people with ADHD have hyperactivity. That’s what the "H" is for. ADD is recognized as a different disorder.
A small correction: strictly speaking, there is only one disorder: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. There are four subtypes: Primarily inattentive; Primarily Hyperactive; Combined; Not Otherwise Specified (a sort of catch-all category) It doesn’t necessarily make sense that a "primarily inattentive" type would be designated "ADHD," but there it is. The "ADD" designation is one that is widely used and accepted as a colloquialism, however. Joe Parsons Streaming Multimedia production and delivery–served with a SMILe http://www.yankeemedia.net
Response:
says… Any connection between low thyroid levels and attention deficit disorder? Not that I know of, but I’m sure it was asked before, so try www.deja.com Some symptoms are similar (lack of concentration, forgetfulness), the hypothyroid are unlikely to have any hyperactivity, which some people with ADD have. No, people with ADHD have hyperactivity. That’s what the "H" is for. ADD is recognized as a different disorder.
The current release of DSM uses the nomenclature "ADHD" as the name of the condition, and they divides that into several subgroups, one of which lacks hyperactivity. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So I’m guessing the most likely connection is misdiagnosis. alt.support.thyroid get quite a few people turn up whose chronic fatigue mysteriously turned into hypothyroidism when they get a doctor with a clue, I dare say the same is possible with other disorder. It is quite possible for hypothyroid symptoms to be seen as other disorders rather than hypothyroidism; especially in early stages when TSH is still borderline in the lab ranges but too high for the person. I’ve heard/known of people who have been diagnosed everything from bi-polar to dementia to schizophrenia to OCD to all sorts of things… and then once treated for the thyroid they get better. You don’t usually get "better" with mental illnesses like that. Hypothyroidism is good at masquerading as other things. I can easily see it being mistaken for ADD since it creates ADD like symptoms.
– — –John Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net (used to be jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
Response:
Any connection between low thyroid levels and attention deficit disorder? Some symptoms are similar (lack of concentration, forgetfulness), the hypothyroid are unlikely to have any hyperactivity, which some people with ADD have. No, people with ADHD have hyperactivity. That’s what the "H" is for. ADD is recognized as a different disorder. So I’m guessing the most likely connection is misdiagnosis.
I officially am diagnosed as ADD, but it may have actually been hypothyroidism, which lab tests prove I have. Now, I am not yet an expert on thyroid, but I can imagine hypERthyroid appearing to be hyperactivity. I work with a guy who had that, and he was very jittery. — Wes Groleau http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~wgroleau
Response:
The current release of DSM uses the nomenclature "ADHD" as the name of the condition, and they divides that into several subgroups, one of which lacks hyperactivity.
What is DSM? Is it a document that can be viewed online?
Response:
Any connection between low thyroid levels and attention deficit disorder?
Not unless hypothyroid is linked to low dopamine levels .. But since hypothyroid IS linked to low dopamine levels .. then .. there IS a connection .. And since excess iron is KNOWN to cause tocopherol deficiency .. and since excess iron is linked closely to hypothyroid .. Neuroscience 2001;105(4):891-8 Spontaneous circling behavior and dopamine neuron loss in a genetically hypothyroid mouse. Kincaid AE Department of Physical Therapy, Creighton University, 2500 California The genetically hypothyroid mouse, Tshr(hyt), has a single point mutation resulting in a defective thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor, and therefore a non-functional thyroid gland. This is an autosomal recessive disorder and affected mice have been reported to have a number of somatic and behavioral deficits. This study reports a pronounced, spontaneous, asymmetrical circling behavior in the Tshr(hyt) mouse. The spontaneous circling behavior appeared in about 25% of the homozygous animals, in both males and females. The circling usually appeared by postnatal day 35 and continued throughout the lifespan of the animal. The circling was in one direction only, either clockwise or counterclockwise, with the directional preference being almost absolute. A stereological analysis of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive neurons in the substantia nigra and adjacent ventral tegmental area of circling homozygous mice, non-circling homozygous mice and heterozygous mice revealed that the circlers had significantly fewer (40% reduction) midbrain dopamine neurons than those animals that did not circle. There was not an association between the direction of the circling and an asymmetry in the number of dopamine neurons in the midbrains of these mice. There was no difference in the number of dopamine neurons in the midbrain of the homozygous non-circlers and the heterozygous mice.These studies indicate that about 25% of genetically hypothyroid mice demonstrated a spontaneous, perseverative, unilateral circling behavior that was associated with a significant reduction in the number of their midbrain dopamine neurons. Thus congenitally hypothyroid mice are at risk for a reduction in the number of nigral dopamine neurons and an associated repetitive movement disorder. PMID: 11530227, UI: 21421432 Save the above report in [Macintosh] [Text] format Order documents on this page through Loansome Doc J Psychoactive Drugs 2000 Nov;32 Suppl:i-iv, 1-112 Reward deficiency syndrome: a biogenetic model for the diagnosis and treatment of impulsive, addictive, and compulsive behaviors. Blum K, Braverman ER, Holder JM, Lubar JF, Monastra VJ, Miller D, Lubar JO, Chen TJ, Comings DE Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA. The dopaminergic system, and in particular the dopamine D2 receptor, has been implicated in reward mechanisms. The net effect of neurotransmitter interaction at the mesolimbic brain region induces "reward" when dopamine (DA) is released from the neuron at the nucleus accumbens and interacts with a dopamine D2 receptor. "The reward cascade" involves the release of serotonin, which in turn at the hypothalmus stimulates enkephalin, which in turn inhibits GABA at the substania nigra, which in turn fine tunes the amount of DA released at the nucleus accumbens or "reward site." It is well known that under normal conditions in the reward site DA works to maintain our normal drives. In fact, DA has become to be known as the "pleasure molecule" and/or the "antistress molecule." When DA is released into the synapse, it stimulates a number a DA receptors (D1-D5) which results in increased feelings of well-being and stress reduction. A consensus of the literature suggests that when there is a dysfunction in the brain reward cascade, which could be caused by certain genetic variants (polygenic), especially in the DA system causing a hypodopaminergic trait, the brain of that person requires a DA fix to feel good. This trait leads to multiple drug-seeking behavior. This is so because alcohol, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, nicotine, and glucose all cause activation and neuronal release of brain DA, which could heal the abnormal cravings. Certainly after ten years of study we could say with confidence that carriers of the DAD2 receptor A1 allele have compromised D2 receptors. Therefore lack of D2 receptors causes individuals to have a high risk for multiple addictive, impulsive and compulsive behavioral propensities, such as severe alcoholism, cocaine, heroin, marijuana and nicotine use, glucose bingeing, pathological gambling, sex addiction, ADHD, Tourette’s Syndrome, autism, chronic violence, posttraumatic stress disorder, schizoid/avoidant cluster, conduct disorder and antisocial behavior. In order to explain the breakdown of the reward cascade due to both multiple genes and environmental stimuli (pleiotropism) and resultant aberrant behaviors, Blum united this hypodopaminergic trait under the rubric of a reward deficiency syndrome. Publication Types: * Review * Review, academic PMID: 11280926, UI: 21177392 Save the above report in [Macintosh] [Text] format Order documents on this page through Loansome Doc Neuroscience 2000;101(4):1029-36 Decreased messenger RNA expression of key markers of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system following vitamin E deficiency in the rat. Romero-Ramos M, Venero JL, Santiago M, Rodriguez-Gomez JA, Vizuete ML, Cano J, Machado A Departamento de Bioquimica, Bromatologia, Toxicologia y Medicina Legal, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Calle Profesor Garcia Gonzalez s/n, 41012, Sevilla, Spain. We have evaluated the effect of a vitamin E-deficient diet on the rat nigrostriatal dopaminergic system. After 15 days of deficient diet, the amount and activity of striatal and nigral tyrosine hydroxylase increased, which contrasted with a decreased messenger RNA expression for tyrosine hydroxylase and the dopamine transporter in the ventral mesencephalon. When we prolonged the deficiency of vitamin E for 30 days, dopamine levels did not differ in both areas. In contrast, messenger RNA levels for tyrosine hydroxylase and the dopamine transporter were markedly reduced in 30-day deficient rats. In addition, the number of oxidatively modified proteins significantly increased in the striatal and nigral areas studied. Overall, we propose that these changes suggest an important role of vitamin E in maintaining the normal equilibrium of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal system. PMID: 11113352, UI: 20565894 Save the above report in [Macintosh] [Text] format Order documents on this page through Loansome Doc Who loves ya. Tom — Jesus was a Vegetarian! http://www.nucleus.com/watchman Moses was a Mystic! http://www.nucleus.com/watchman/light.html
Response:
The current release of DSM uses the nomenclature "ADHD" as the name of the condition, and they divides that into several subgroups, one of which lacks hyperactivity. What is DSM? Is it a document that can be viewed online?
The full title is "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR (Text Revision)" and it is in the US the standard reference for the diagnosis of mental disorders. It’s available from amazon for about 60 bucks. The entire text is not available online as far as I know, but there are excerpts posted in various places. The DSM-IV definition of ADHD may be found at <http://www.turnertoys.com/ADHD/APA_diagCriteria.htm and many other sites–that’s just the first one that came up. — — –John Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net (used to be jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
Response:
The current release of DSM uses the nomenclature "ADHD" as the name of the condition, and they divides that into several subgroups, one of which lacks hyperactivity.
OK 
Response:
I officially am diagnosed as ADD, but it may have actually been hypothyroidism, which lab tests prove I have. Now, I am not yet an expert on thyroid, but I can imagine hypERthyroid appearing to be hyperactivity. I work with a guy who had that, and he was very jittery.
Yes hyperthyroidism does result in nervous, energetic behaviour (if the patients aren’t physically exhausted by the illness). Perhaps we should ask MS why they wanted to know of a connection. I wonder if they are going the same route as you. The hyperthyroid usually have symptoms of enhanced metabolism if the doctors bother to look for them, like high resting pulse rate, mine was around 120 at diagnosis. When hyper I never had problems with concentration or forgetfulness, although I could and would switch topics faster than other people in conversation, and could talk for England, I had little problem applying myself to tasks. Of course others experience may vary.
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When hyper I never had problems with concentration or forgetfulness, although I could and would switch topics faster than other people in conversation, and could talk for England, I
When I am hyper I forget things faster! My attention is quickly diverted to other things. This is very bad while driving. Very, very bad. During my last hyper episode I was preoccupied trying to show my husband something on the side of the road and rear-ended someone in front of me who suddenly stopped.
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There is a certain degree of overlap between these two conditions. But the one thing which draws the line is the history of symptoms. ADD shows up itself from very young age whereas hypothyroidism does not (unless it is Congential Hypo). I am in the same situation as u are in and this is the justification I use to take Adderall. Hope this helps.
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You could have a look at Broda Barnes’ book ‘Hypothyroidism, the Unsuspected Illness’ which mentions hyperactive children on pages 74-76. I think you might find it interesting, as it poses a theory for why stimulant drugs are effective, but maybe not always treating the core problem which could by hypothyroidism. All the best, Liz
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Well what I do know is that when I researched it in my psychology class last year, we found that ADHD and ADD were very different things because the hyperactivity played an important role in ADHD and the lack of it in ADD created a different structure to the disorder.
One of my relatives was diagnosed with ADD as an adult, and at one point, a couple of years later, tested with a TSH of ***80***. Maybe actual ADD and hypothyroidism aren’t related, but I’ll bet hypo’s sometimes misdiagnosed as ADD. – Mary MacT http://www.prado.com/~iris (new site under construction: http://www.alamedacreek.net/mary)
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