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Salloum-Asfar S, Shin KC, Taha RZ, Khattak S, Park Y, Abdulla SA. The Potential Role of Thyroid Hormone Therapy in Neural Progenitor Cell Differentiation and Its Impact on Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:3330-3342. [PMID: 37991699 PMCID: PMC11087352 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03751-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Thyroid hormone (T3) plays a vital role in brain development and its dysregulation can impact behavior, nervous system function, and cognitive development. Large case-cohort studies have associated abnormal maternal T3 during early pregnancy to epilepsy, autism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. Recent experimental findings have also shown T3's influence on the fate of neural precursor cells and raise the question of its convergence with embryonic neural progenitors. Our objective was to investigate how T3 treatment affects neuronal development and functionality at the cellular level. In vitro experiments using neural precursor cells (NPCs) measured cell growth and numbers after exposure to varying T3 concentrations. Time points included week 0 (W0) representing NPCs treated with 100 nM T3 for 5 days, and differentiated cortical neurons assessed at weeks 3 (W3), 6 (W6), and 8 (W8). Techniques such as single-cell calcium imaging and whole-cell patch clamp were utilized to evaluate neuronal activity and function. IHC staining detected mature neuron markers, and RNA sequencing enabled molecular profiling. W6 and W8 neurons exhibited higher action potential frequencies, with W6 showing increased peak amplitudes and shortened inter-spike intervals by 50%, indicating enhanced activity. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that W6 T3-treated neurons formed a distinct cluster, suggesting accelerated maturation. Comparison with the whole transcriptome further unveiled a correlation between W6 neurons treated with T3 and neuronal regulatory elements associated with autism and ADHD. These findings provide insights into T3's impact on neuronal development and potential mechanisms of T3 dysregulation and neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salam Salloum-Asfar
- Neurological Disorders Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar.
| | - Kyung Chul Shin
- Neurological Disorders Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Rowaida Z Taha
- Neurological Disorders Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Shahryar Khattak
- BESE and KAUST Smart-Health Initiative (KSHI), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yongsoo Park
- Neurological Disorders Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Sara A Abdulla
- Neurological Disorders Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar.
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Sabatino L, Lapi D, Del Seppia C. Factors and Mechanisms of Thyroid Hormone Activity in the Brain: Possible Role in Recovery and Protection. Biomolecules 2024; 14:198. [PMID: 38397435 PMCID: PMC10886502 DOI: 10.3390/biom14020198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Thyroid hormones (THs) are essential in normal brain development, and cognitive and emotional functions. THs act through a cascade of events including uptake by the target cells by specific cell membrane transporters, activation or inactivation by deiodinase enzymes, and interaction with nuclear thyroid hormone receptors. Several thyroid responsive genes have been described in the developing and in the adult brain and many studies have demonstrated a systemic or local reduction in TH availability in neurologic disease and after brain injury. In this review, the main factors and mechanisms associated with the THs in the normal and damaged brain will be evaluated in different regions and cellular contexts. Furthermore, the most common animal models used to study the role of THs in brain damage and cognitive impairment will be described and the use of THs as a potential recovery strategy from neuropathological conditions will be evaluated. Finally, particular attention will be given to the link observed between TH alterations and increased risk of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), the most prevalent neurodegenerative and dementing condition worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Sabatino
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Council of Research, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Dominga Lapi
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, 56127 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Cristina Del Seppia
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Council of Research, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
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Psychiatric Disorders in the Adolescent Offspring of Mothers with Thyroid Problems During Pregnancy. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2020; 51:461-470. [PMID: 32008126 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-020-00957-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Maternal thyroid problems during pregnancy have been linked to neurocognitive impairments in children. While studies suggest that disorders of maternal thyroid function during pregnancy are associated with symptoms of mental health problems in children, little is known about the risk of clinically significant psychiatric disorders in adolescence. A sample of 2451 Canadian adolescents enrolled in the Ontario Child Health Study completed the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents at 12-17 years of age. Their mothers self-reported thyroid problems during pregnancy. Gestational thyroid problems were associated with offspring oppositional defiant disorder (ODD; OR 3.73; 95% CI 1.69-8.24), conduct disorder (CD; OR 12.95; 95% CI 5.12-32.75), and social anxiety disorder (SAD; OR 6.25; 95% CI 2.53-15.47). Neither sex nor gestational age moderated associations between prenatal thyroid dysfunction and the majority of outcomes. School performance mediated 8% of the association between thyroid problems and SAD, 21% for CD and 53% for ODD.
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Fetene DM, Betts KS, Alati R. The role of maternal prenatal thyroid function on offspring depression: Findings from the ALSPAC cohort. Dev Psychopathol 2020; 32:189-196. [PMID: 30688193 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579418001657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Maternal thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy may contribute to offspring neurobehavioral disorders. In this paper, we investigate the relationship between maternal thyroid function during pregnancy and offspring depression and anxiety. Data were taken from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. A total of 2,920 mother-child pairs were included. Thyroid-stimulating hormone levels, free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid peroxidase antibodies were assessed during the first trimester of pregnancy because maternal supply is the only source of thyroid hormone for the fetus during the first 12 weeks of gestation. Child symptoms of depression and anxiety were assessed using the Development and Well-Being Assessment at ages 7.5 and 15 years. The odds of presenting with depression and anxiety were estimated using the generalized estimating equation. The level of FT4 during the first trimester of pregnancy was associated with child depression combined at ages 7.5 and 15 (odds ratio = 1.21, 95% confidence interval [1.00, 1.14]. An increase of 1 standard deviation of FT4 during pregnancy increased the odds of child depression by 28% after adjustment made for potential confounders. No association was found among maternal levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone, FT4, and thyroid peroxidase antibodies and childhood anxiety. In conclusion, increased levels of FT4 during the first trimester of pregnancy appear be linked to greater risk of offspring depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dagnachew Muluye Fetene
- Institute for Social Science Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
- School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Kim S Betts
- Institute for Social Science Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Rosa Alati
- Institute for Social Science Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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Abstract
A suboptimal intrauterine environment is thought to increase the probability of deviation from the typical neurodevelopmental trajectory, potentially contributing to the etiology of learning disorders. Yet the cumulative influence of individual antenatal risk factors on emergent learning skills has not been sufficiently examined. We sought to determine whether antenatal complications, in aggregate, are a source of variability in preschoolers’ kindergarten readiness, and whether specific classes of antenatal risk play a prominent role. We recruited 160 preschoolers (85 girls; ages 3–4 years), born ≤336/7 weeks’ gestation, and reviewed their hospitalization records. Kindergarten readiness skills were assessed with standardized intellectual, oral-language, prewriting, and prenumeracy tasks. Cumulative antenatal risk was operationalized as the sum of complications identified out of nine common risks. These were also grouped into four classes in follow-up analyses: complications associated with intra-amniotic infection, placental insufficiency, endocrine dysfunction, and uteroplacental bleeding. Linear mixed model analyses, adjusting for sociodemographic and medical background characteristics (socioeconomic status, sex, gestational age, and sum of perinatal complications) revealed an inverse relationship between the sum of antenatal complications and performance in three domains: intelligence, language, and prenumeracy (p = 0.003, 0.002, 0.005, respectively). Each of the four classes of antenatal risk accounted for little variance, yet together they explained 10.5%, 9.8%, and 8.4% of the variance in the cognitive, literacy, and numeracy readiness domains, respectively. We conclude that an increase in the co-occurrence of antenatal complications is moderately linked to poorer kindergarten readiness skills even after statistical adjustment for perinatal risk.
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Prezioso G, Giannini C, Chiarelli F. Effect of Thyroid Hormones on Neurons and Neurodevelopment. Horm Res Paediatr 2019; 90:73-81. [PMID: 30157487 DOI: 10.1159/000492129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This review focuses on the current knowledge of the effects of thyroid hormones on central nervous system differentiation and development in animals and the human fetal brain. The outcomes of children with congenital hypothyroidism and of newborns with hypothyroid pregnant mothers are emphasized, focusing on how therapies could affect and especially improve the outcomes.
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Jølving LR, Nielsen J, Kesmodel US, Nielsen RG, Nørgård BM, Beck-Nielsen SS. Chronic diseases in the children of women with maternal thyroid dysfunction: a nationwide cohort study. Clin Epidemiol 2018; 10:1381-1390. [PMID: 30310330 PMCID: PMC6167124 DOI: 10.2147/clep.s167128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Maternal thyroid disease (TD) during pregnancy is associated with adverse birth outcomes, but little is known on its long-term outcomes. We aimed to examine if children born to mothers with TD have increased disease risk during childhood and adolescence. Patients and methods A register-based cohort study was conducted on all live born children in Denmark from 1989 to 2013, including the association between maternal TD during pregnancy and somatic and psychiatric diseases in the children. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) according to the type of maternal TD, Graves’ disease, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Results A total of 2,618 children were born to women with Graves’ disease, 760 to women with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (exposed), and 1,557,577 to women without any TD (unexposed). The median follow-up time for children born to mothers with Graves’ disease was 9.3 years (25/75 percentile 5.4/13.9 years) and with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis was 4.8 years (25/75 percentile 2.5/8.2 years). In children exposed to maternal Graves’ disease in utero, the adjusted HR of TD was 12.83 (95% CI, 9.74–16.90), Graves’ disease was 34.3 (95% CI, 20.23–58.35), and type 1 was diabetes 2.47 (95% CI, 1.46–4.18). In children exposed to maternal Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, the adjusted HR of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis was 24.04 (95% CI, 5.89–97.94). Conclusion Our data suggest that children born to women with Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis have excess long-term morbidities in childhood and adolescence. We particularly found an increased risk of any TD and type 1 diabetes to be diagnosed in children exposed in utero to Graves’ disease. These novel findings are relevant for pediatricians, stressing the importance of history of maternal disease when evaluating children with suspected endocrine disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Line Riis Jølving
- Center for Clinical Epidemiology, Odense University Hospital, .,Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C,
| | - Jan Nielsen
- Center for Clinical Epidemiology, Odense University Hospital, .,Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C,
| | - Ulrik Schiøler Kesmodel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Herlev University Hospital, Herlev.,Institute for Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, København
| | - Rasmus Gaardskær Nielsen
- Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C, .,Hans Christian Andersen Children's Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Odense C
| | - Bente Mertz Nørgård
- Center for Clinical Epidemiology, Odense University Hospital, .,Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C,
| | - Signe Sparre Beck-Nielsen
- Department of Pediatrics Kolding, Hospital Lillebaelt, Kolding.,Department of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C, Denmark
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Petersen TG, Andersen AMN, Uldall P, Paneth N, Feldt-Rasmussen U, Tollånes MC, Strandberg-Larsen K. Maternal thyroid disorder in pregnancy and risk of cerebral palsy in the child: a population-based cohort study. BMC Pediatr 2018; 18:181. [PMID: 29855286 PMCID: PMC5977482 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-018-1152-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cerebral palsy is the most frequent motor disability in childhood, but little is known about its etiology. It has been suggested that cerebral palsy risk may be increased by prenatal thyroid hormone disturbances. The objective of this study was to investigate whether maternal thyroid disorder is associated with increased risk of cerebral palsy. Methods A population-based cohort study using two study populations. 1) 1,270,079 children born in Denmark 1979–2007 identified in nationwide registers, and 2) 192,918 children born 1996–2009 recruited into the Danish National Birth Cohort and The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort study, combined in the MOthers and BAbies in Norway and Denmark (MOBAND) collaboration cohort. Register-based and self-reported information on maternal thyroid disorder was studied in relation to risk of cerebral palsy and its unilateral and bilateral spastic subtypes using multiple logistic regression. Children were followed from the age of 1 year to the age of 6 years, and cerebral palsy was identified in nationwide registers with verified diagnoses. Results In register data, hypothyroidism was recognized in 12,929 (1.0%), hyperthyroidism in 9943 (0.8%), and unclassifiable thyroid disorder in 753 (< 0.1%) of the mothers. The odds ratio for an association between maternal thyroid disorder and bilateral spastic cerebral palsy was 1.0 (95% CI: 0.7–1.5). Maternal thyroid disorder identified during pregnancy was associated with elevated risk of unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (odds ratio 3.1 (95% CI: 1.2–8.4)). In MOBAND, 3042 (1.6%) of the mothers reported a thyroid disorder in pregnancy, which was not associated with cerebral palsy overall (odds ratio 1.2 (95% CI: 0.6–2.4)). Conclusions Maternal thyroid disorder overall was not related to bilateral spastic cerebral palsy, but maternal thyroid disorder identified in pregnancy was associated with increased risk of unilateral spastic cerebral palsy. These findings should be replicated in studies making use of maternal blood samples. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12887-018-1152-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Gram Petersen
- Section of Social Medicine, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Gothersgade 160, 1123, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Anne-Marie Nybo Andersen
- Section of Social Medicine, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Gothersgade 160, 1123, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peter Uldall
- Pediatric Department at Rigshospitalet, Juliane Maries Vej 8, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nigel Paneth
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics and Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, 909 Fee Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Ulla Feldt-Rasmussen
- Department of Medical Endocrinology at Rigshospitalet, Ole Maaloees Vej 26, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Katrine Strandberg-Larsen
- Section of Social Medicine, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Gothersgade 160, 1123, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Päkkilä F, Männistö T, Hartikainen AL, Suvanto E. Maternal Thyroid Function During Pregnancy and the Child's Linguistic and Sensory Development in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2018; 9:127. [PMID: 29632517 PMCID: PMC5879546 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal hypothyroidism and hypothyroxinemia are associated with poor neuropsychological development in children. Previous research is lacking on whether maternal thyroid dysfunction affects sensory and linguistic development in childhood. METHODS The Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 included all births within a year (9,362 women, 9,479 children) from the two northernmost Finnish provinces. Maternal serum samples (n = 5,791) were obtained in early pregnancy and analyzed for TSH, free T4, and thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO-Abs). Five thousand three hundred and ninety-one parents evaluated their child's sensory and linguistic development at 7 years old via a questionnaire (excluding children with an intelligence quotient ≤85). The prevalence of sensory and linguistic impairments was compared between mothers with and without thyroid dysfunction. RESULTS There were no statistically significant differences in the prevalence of sensory or linguistic impairment between children of mothers with and without thyroid dysfunction. Children of hypothyroid and hypothyroxinemic mothers had an increased prevalence of vision impairment compared with those of euthyroid mothers (10.8 and 11.7%, respectively, versus 6.5%), but the difference was not significant. All results remained similar after excluding TPO-Ab-positive mothers and premature children. CONCLUSION We did not find an association between maternal thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy and sensory and linguistic development impairment in childhood. A somewhat higher prevalence of vision impairment was seen in children of hypothyroid and hypothyroxinemic mothers, which merits further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanni Päkkilä
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
- Institute of Health Sciences, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Children, Young People, and Families, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Oulu, Finland
- Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- *Correspondence: Fanni Päkkilä,
| | - Tuija Männistö
- Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Oulu, Finland
- Northern Finland Laboratory Center Nordlab, Oulu University Hospital, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Anna-Liisa Hartikainen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
- Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Eila Suvanto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
- Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
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Fetene DM, Betts KS, Alati R. MECHANISMS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY: Maternal thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy and behavioural and psychiatric disorders of children: a systematic review. Eur J Endocrinol 2017; 177:R261-R273. [PMID: 28982961 DOI: 10.1530/eje-16-0860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Revised: 05/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy may lead to persistent neurodevelopmental disorders in the offspring appearing in later life. This study aimed to review the available evidence concerning the relationship between maternal thyroid status during pregnancy and offspring behavioural and psychiatric disorders. METHODS Systematic electronic database searches were conducted using PubMed, Embase, PsycNET, Scopus, Google Scholar and Cochrane library. Studies including gestational thyroid dysfunction as the exposure and offspring behavioural and psychiatric disorders as the outcome were included. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline was followed and, after thorough screening by two independent reviewers, 13 articles remained eligible for inclusion in this study. RESULTS Indicators of maternal thyroid dysfunction, including low and high thyroid hormone level and autoimmune thyroiditis, during early pregnancy, were found to be associated with several offspring behavioural and psychiatric disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, pervasive developmental problems, externalising behaviour, in addition to epilepsy and seizure. The majority of associations were found with low maternal thyroid hormone level. CONCLUSION Maternal thyroid function during pregnancy, particularly hypothyroidism, is associated with behavioural and psychiatric disorders in children. Further studies are needed with a capacity to adjust for a fuller range of confounding factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dagnachew Muluye Fetene
- School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Kim S Betts
- Institute for Social Science Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Rosa Alati
- Institute for Social Science Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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Andersen SL, Carlé A, Karmisholt J, Pedersen IB, Andersen S. MECHANISMS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY: Neurodevelopmental disorders in children born to mothers with thyroid dysfunction: evidence of fetal programming? Eur J Endocrinol 2017; 177:R27-R36. [PMID: 28377377 DOI: 10.1530/eje-16-0947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Revised: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Fetal programming is a long-standing, but still evolving, concept that links exposures during pregnancy to the later development of disease in the offspring. A fetal programming effect has been considered within different endocrine axes and in relation to different maternal endocrine diseases. In this critical review, we describe and discuss the hypothesis of fetal programming by maternal thyroid dysfunction in the context of fetal brain development and neurodevelopmental disorders in the offspring. Thyroid hormones are important regulators of early brain development, and evidence from experimental and observational human studies have demonstrated structural and functional abnormalities in the brain caused by the lack or excess of thyroid hormone during fetal brain development. The hypothesis that such abnormalities introduced during early fetal brain development increase susceptibility for the later onset of neurodevelopmental disorders in the offspring is biologically plausible. However, epidemiological studies on the association between maternal thyroid dysfunction and long-term child outcomes are observational in design, and are challenged by important methodological aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Stig Andersen
- GeriatricsAalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
- Department Clinical MedicineAalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
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12
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Raymaekers SR, Darras VM. Thyroid hormones and learning-associated neuroplasticity. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2017; 247:26-33. [PMID: 28390960 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Revised: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Thyroid hormones (THs) are crucial for brain development and maturation in all vertebrates. Especially during pre- and perinatal development, disruption of TH signaling leads to a multitude of neurological deficits. Many animal models provided insight in the role of THs in brain development, but specific data on how they affect the brain's ability to learn and adapt depending on environmental stimuli are rather limited. In this review, we focus on a number of learning processes like spatial learning, fear conditioning, vocal learning and imprinting behavior and on how abnormal TH signaling during development shapes subsequent performance. It is clear from multiple studies that TH deprivation leads to defects in learning on all fronts, and interestingly, changes in local expression of the TH activator deiodinase type 2 seem to have an important role. Taking into account that THs are regulated in a very space-specific manner, there is thus increasing pressure to investigate more local TH regulators as potential factors involved in neuroplasticity. As these learning processes are also important for proper adult human functioning, further elucidating the role of THs in developmental neuroplasticity in various animal models is an important field for advancing both fundamental and applied knowledge on human brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sander R Raymaekers
- Laboratory of Comparative Endocrinology, Biology Department, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 61, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Veerle M Darras
- Laboratory of Comparative Endocrinology, Biology Department, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 61, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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13
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Andersen SL, Olsen J. Early Pregnancy Thyroid Function Test Abnormalities in Biobank Sera from Women Clinically Diagnosed with Thyroid Dysfunction Before or After Pregnancy. Thyroid 2017; 27:451-459. [PMID: 27841706 DOI: 10.1089/thy.2016.0542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal thyroid disease may complicate pregnancy. A high frequency of abnormal thyroid function test results in pregnant women with known thyroid disease has been reported, but the frequency of unidentified thyroid dysfunction in women first clinically diagnosed with thyroid disease after a pregnancy is not known. METHODS This was a population-based study of pregnant women in the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) who had a blood sample drawn in early pregnancy and terminated the pregnancy with a singleton live-birth in the period between 1997 and 2003. Participants were all women in the DNBC who had a registration of thyroid disease before and/or up to five years after the pregnancy in nationwide health registers (n = 2445) and a 12% random sample of all women in the cohort (n = 7624). Thyrotropin and free thyroxine were measured with an immunoassay in sera stored in the Danish National Biobank. Method- and pregnancy week-specific references ranges were used for classification of thyroid function test abnormalities. RESULTS The frequency of abnormal thyroid function in early pregnancy was 12.5% in the random sample and 35.7% among women clinically diagnosed with thyroid disease before or after blood sampling (55.7% among women on current treatment). One third of women clinically diagnosed with thyroid disease after blood sampling had unidentified thyroid dysfunction in the early pregnancy blood sample (most frequently [52.0%] unidentified hypothyroidism in women with a later diagnosis of hypothyroidism). CONCLUSIONS More than 50% of Danish pregnant women on current treatment for thyroid disease had thyrotropin and/or free thyroxine outside the week-specific reference ranges, and the frequency of unidentified early pregnancy thyroid dysfunction in women clinically diagnosed after the pregnancy was also high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stine Linding Andersen
- 1 Department of Endocrinology, Aalborg University Hospital , Aalborg, Denmark
- 2 Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aalborg University Hospital , Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Jørn Olsen
- 3 Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital , Aarhus, Denmark
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Moog NK, Entringer S, Heim C, Wadhwa PD, Kathmann N, Buss C. Influence of maternal thyroid hormones during gestation on fetal brain development. Neuroscience 2017; 342:68-100. [PMID: 26434624 PMCID: PMC4819012 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.09.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 221] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Revised: 09/22/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Thyroid hormones (THs) play an obligatory role in many fundamental processes underlying brain development and maturation. The developing embryo/fetus is dependent on maternal supply of TH. The fetal thyroid gland does not commence TH synthesis until mid gestation, and the adverse consequences of severe maternal TH deficiency on offspring neurodevelopment are well established. Recent evidence suggests that even more moderate forms of maternal thyroid dysfunction, particularly during early gestation, may have a long-lasting influence on child cognitive development and risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. Moreover, these observed alterations appear to be largely irreversible after birth. It is, therefore, important to gain a better understanding of the role of maternal thyroid dysfunction on offspring neurodevelopment in terms of the nature, magnitude, time-specificity, and context-specificity of its effects. With respect to the issue of context specificity, it is possible that maternal stress and stress-related biological processes during pregnancy may modulate maternal thyroid function. The possibility of an interaction between the thyroid and stress systems in the context of fetal brain development has, however, not been addressed to date. We begin this review with a brief overview of TH biology during pregnancy and a summary of the literature on its effect on the developing brain. Next, we consider and discuss whether and how processes related to maternal stress and stress biology may interact with and modify the effects of maternal thyroid function on offspring brain development. We synthesize several research areas and identify important knowledge gaps that may warrant further study. The scientific and public health relevance of this review relates to achieving a better understanding of the timing, mechanisms and contexts of thyroid programing of brain development, with implications for early identification of risk, primary prevention and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- N K Moog
- Department of Medical Psychology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Luisenstrasse 57, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - S Entringer
- Department of Medical Psychology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Luisenstrasse 57, 10117 Berlin, Germany; University of California, Irvine, Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, 333 The City Drive West, Suite 1200, Orange, CA 92868, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, 505 South Main Street, Suite 525, Orange, CA 92868, USA
| | - C Heim
- Department of Medical Psychology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Luisenstrasse 57, 10117 Berlin, Germany; Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, College of Health and Human Development, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - P D Wadhwa
- University of California, Irvine, Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, 333 The City Drive West, Suite 1200, Orange, CA 92868, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, 505 South Main Street, Suite 525, Orange, CA 92868, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, 3117 Gillespie Neuroscience Research Facility, 837 Health Sciences Drive, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, 3117 Gillespie Neuroscience Research Facility, 837 Health Sciences Drive, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, 3117 Gillespie Neuroscience Research Facility, 837 Health Sciences Drive, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - N Kathmann
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Rudower Chaussee 18, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - C Buss
- Department of Medical Psychology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Luisenstrasse 57, 10117 Berlin, Germany; University of California, Irvine, Development, Health, and Disease Research Program, 333 The City Drive West, Suite 1200, Orange, CA 92868, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, 505 South Main Street, Suite 525, Orange, CA 92868, USA.
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Lischinsky JE, Skocic J, Clairman H, Rovet J. Preliminary Findings Show Maternal Hypothyroidism May Contribute to Abnormal Cortical Morphology in Offspring. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2016; 7:16. [PMID: 26941710 PMCID: PMC4766309 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2016.00016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 02/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In rodents, insufficient thyroid hormone (TH) gestationally has adverse effects on cerebral cortex development. Comparable studies of humans examining how TH insufficiency affects cortical morphology are limited to children with congenital hypothyroidism or offspring of hypothyroxinemic women; effects on cortex of children born to women with clinically diagnosed hypothyroidism are not known. We studied archived MRI scans from 22 children aged 10-12 years born to women treated for preexisting or de novo hypothyroidism in pregnancy (HYPO) and 24 similar age and sex controls from euthyroid women. FreeSurfer Image Analysis Suite software was used to measure cortical thickness (CT) and a vertex-based approach served to compare HYPO versus control groups and Severe versus Mild HYPO subgroups as well as to perform regression analyses examining effects of trimester-specific maternal TSH on CT. Results showed that relative to controls, HYPO had multiple regions of both cortical thinning and thickening, which differed for left and right hemispheres. In HYPO, thinning was confined to medial and mid-lateral regions of each hemisphere and thickening to superior regions (primarily frontal) of the left hemisphere and inferior regions (particularly occipital and temporal) of the right. The Severe HYPO subgroup showed more thinning than Mild in frontal and temporal regions and more thickening in bilateral posterior and frontal regions. Maternal TSH values predicted degree of thinning and thickening within multiple brain regions, with the pattern and direction of correlations differing by trimester. Notably, some correlations remained when cases born to women with severe hypothyroidism were removed from the analyses, suggesting that mild variations of maternal TH may permanently affect offspring cortex. We conclude that maternal hypothyroidism during pregnancy has long-lasting manifestations on the cortical morphology of their offspring with specific effects reflecting both severity and timing of maternal TH insufficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julieta E. Lischinsky
- Institute for Biomedical Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jovanka Skocic
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Hayyah Clairman
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Joanne Rovet
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Andersen SL, Olsen J, Laurberg P. Foetal programming by maternal thyroid disease. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2015; 83:751-8. [PMID: 25682985 DOI: 10.1111/cen.12744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Revised: 01/30/2015] [Accepted: 02/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Foetal programming is an emerging concept that links a wide range of exposures during foetal life to later development of disease. Thyroid disorders are common in women of reproductive age, and careful management of pregnant women suffering from thyroid disease is important considering the crucial role of thyroid hormones during early brain development. It is possible that maternal thyroid dysfunction in pregnancy may lead to structural and/or functional changes during foetal brain development. Such an effect could later predispose the offspring to an increased risk of neurologic or psychiatric disease. We recently observed that children born to mothers with thyroid dysfunction had an increased risk of developing seizure disorders, autism spectrum disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders and psychiatric disease in adolescence and young adulthood. In the review, we discuss the concept of potential foetal programming by maternal thyroid disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stine Linding Andersen
- Department of Endocrinology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Jørn Olsen
- Section for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Peter Laurberg
- Department of Endocrinology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
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