Psychological changes during thyrotoxicosis.

Psychological changes during hyperthyroidism are well known. However, no studies were performed in order to quantify or evaluate them in numerical details. We have studied the personality of 15 women with Graves' disease by means of the 16PF Cattell Test, before and after treatment of hyperthyroidism with surgery or radioactive iodine. The first test was performed when patients relapsed the thyrotoxicosis after a period of euthyroidism, achieved through the treatment with antithyroid drugs during one year. At the time of the second test all patients had 6-12 months of euthyroidism. Hormonal circulating levels were as follow (mean +/- SEM): a) at the first test, T3 = 320 +/- 27 ng/dl, T4 = 19.7 +/- 1.2 micrograms/dl, TSH < 0.2 microU/ml; b) at the second test, T3 = 128 +/- 9 ng/dl, T4 = 8.8 +/- 0.8 micrograms/dl, TSH = 1.9 +/- 0.4 microU/ml. Differences between both tests were expressed for each factor as the mean difference +/- SEM (paired "t" test). After treatment patients were: 1) more relaxed and emotionally trustful and cooperative (factor A + 1.06 +/- 0.39, p < 0.02); 2) better and faster intellectual comprehension (factor B + 0.80 +/- 0.31, p < 0.05); 3) more capable of analysis (factor Q1 + 0.93 +/- 0.41, p < 0.05); 4) lower in lingering anxiety and tension (factor Q4-0.87 +/- 0.36, p < 0.05); 5) more independent, less submissive (factor QIV + 0.88 +/- 0.41, p < 0.05); 6) more relaxed (factor QI-0.69 +/- 0.20, p < 0.01). The other factors remained unchanged.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)