Page 45 - JCBP-1-2

Journal of Clinical and
Basic Psychosomatics Thyroid hormones and psychiatric disorders

Lower TT3 values were observed in patients who When considering normal TSH values in combination
reported a history of suicide attempts, in comparison with low TT3 values, it may suggest temporary changes
to participants who did not. A majority of participants during the response to stress related to a suicidal crisis.
exhibited TT3 values outside the reference range in the Hypersecretion of thyrotropin-releasing hormone
group of participants with depressive disorders, in could be considered a compensatory mechanism aimed
comparison to those with other psychiatric conditions in at preserving normal thyroid hormone secretion and
the focus of this study. These findings align with previous normalizing serotonin activity in depressive patients .
[54]
evidence suggesting that patients with depression often Limitations of this study include the relatively small
exhibit lower TT3 values [43,46] . The present study reinforces number of participants for certain psychiatric conditions
the association between reduced TT3 hormone values
in patients with depressive disorders when compared and the small number of participants who had attempted
to participants with other psychiatric disorders and the suicide. In addition, this study conducted a joint analysis
control group. The low T3 syndrome, in the absence of of data related to suicide attempts. Further studies should
other systemic diseases, may serve as a distinctive marker explore the possibility of increasing the sample size and
for a specific subgroup of patients with depression [46,47] . including specific diagnostic categories to conduct a more
comprehensive comparison between individuals with and
The relationship between bipolar affective disorder without suicidal behavior. Furthermore, it may be wise to
and the observed change in thyroid hormone values, as investigate the potential influence of obesity and metabolic
documented in previous literature, may be attributed to the syndrome on the obtained thyroid hormone values.
use of lithium therapy [48,49] . This is particularly significant
considering that examples from the literature suggest the 5. Conclusion
absence of abnormalities in thyroid hormone and TSH The present research demonstrates that patients with
levels among patients experiencing a manic episode , psychotic disorders had higher values of TT3 in comparison
[50]
consistent with the results of the present study.
to patients with depressive disorders. Nevertheless, it did not
Our study results also indicate that older patients reveal significant differences in TT3, TT4, and TSH values
exhibit significantly reduced TT3 values and significantly among participants with psychotic disorders, the control
increased TT4 values, which is in line with previous research group, and those with bipolar disorder. These contradictory
on the association between age and thyroid function findings warrant further research to determine whether
changes . The impact of psychiatric pharmacotherapy thyroid dysfunction is a common feature in patients with
[34]
and pathophysiological changes in psychiatric conditions psychotic disorders, as it appears to be in patients within the
warrants further investigation. depression spectra, as suggested in the previous literature .
[39]
The second hypothesis was partially confirmed as the Further studies should include larger patient samples
TT3 values were significantly lower in participants who to investigate whether assessing thyroid function in
had attempted suicide. These results suggest the potential routine clinical practice might aid in early recognition
utility of T3 levels as a marker for assessing suicidal risk in of suicidality and suicide prevention. In addition, these
patients. However, it is important to note that our study studies can highlight the importance of addressing thyroid
had a relatively small sample of patients who had attempted function abnormalities as an additional intervention in
suicide. suicidal patients.

The results of our research indicate variations in thyroid
hormone values related to suicidality. Significantly lower Acknowledgments
values of the TT3 hormone were observed in participants None.
who had attempted suicide in comparison to those who had
not. Existing literature supports these findings, suggesting Funding
[19]
lower TT3 levels in suicidal patients . In addition, other None.
studies have demonstrated a negative correlation between
the T3 hormone levels and Beck suicidality score levels [40,51] . Conflict of interest
The literature further suggests an association between a
history of suicide events, suicidality, and low values of the The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
T4 hormone [31,32,52,53] , as well as a tendency toward lower Author contributions
TSH values in suicidal patients , while the results of the
[52]
present study did indeed reveal changes in the levels of Conceptualization: Sandra Vuk Pisk
TT4 and TSH hormones in relation to suicidality. Formal analysis: Ena Ivezić

Volume 1 Issue 2 (2023) 6 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcbp.1130