Does hypothyroidism increase your risk for dementia?

One of the most common autoimmune diseases in our registry is autoimmune thyroiditis (or Hashimoto’s disease). Autoimmune thyroiditis occurs when the immune system attacks the thyroid, which can lead to a deficiency in thyroid hormone production, also called hypothyroidism.

A few population-based studies have found that patients with hypothyroidism have an increased risk of developing dementia.

A 2021 study of the Danish population found that hypothyroidism is associated with an increased risk of dementia. For every 6 months of hypothyroidism, dementia risk is increased by 12%, meaning that those with chronic hypothyroidism were particularly at risk.

Another, more recent study of the Taiwanese population found that for patients aged 65 or older, a history of hypothyroidism was associated with an 81% increased risk for dementia. Moreover, those who have required thyroid hormone replacement therapy were 3 times more likely to have dementia.

Unlike Taiwan and Denmark, the United States does not have a nationwide health database that can look at these large-scale statistics. This makes the work we do at the Autoimmune Registry that much more important. If we can look at our nationwide patients with autoimmune thyroiditis and their risks for dementia, we can generate statistics that break down the risks by demographic information like age, gender, race, or age of onset of disease. Patients would then be in a better position to assess their particular risks.

To support the Autoimmune Registry, please share our site and encourage others with autoimmune diseases to join our registry. Donations are also greatly appreciated!