Cognitive Impairments in Hashimoto’s Encephalopathy: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

Background/AimsHashimoto's encephalopathy is considered as a treatable dementia, but it is often misdiagnosed. We investigated cognitive impairment and the MRI pathology of Hashimoto's encephalopathy patients.MethodsThe study comprised eight patients with Hashimoto's encephalopathy, 16 patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease and 24 healthy subjects. A neuropsychological battery included assessments of memory, language, attention, executive function and visuospatial ability. Cranial MRI was obtained from all Hashimoto's encephalopathy patients.ResultsHashimoto's encephalopathy and mild Alzheimer’s disease showed cognitive impairments in episodic memory, attention, executive function and visuospatial ability, but naming ability was unaffected in Hashimoto's encephalopathy. The MRI of Hashimoto's encephalopathy showed leukoencephalopathy-like type or limbic encephalitis-like type; the lesions did not affect the temporal cortex which plays a role in naming ability.ConclusionExcept that the naming ability was retained, the impairments in cognitive functions for the Hashimoto's encephalopathy patients were similar to those of Alzheimer’s disease patients. These results were consistent with the MRI findings.

A case of Hashimoto's encephalopathy presenting with seizures and cognitive impairment

“…The previous research demonstrated that cognitive impairment (84.6%) and psychiatric symptoms (38.5%) were the most frequent symptoms, however, seizures (30.8%) and myoclonus (7.7%) were relatively infrequent in thirteen consecutive patients with HE. [3] Therefore, presenting symptoms of HE may be quite variable.…”

The Value of Long-Term EEG in the Diagnosis of Epilepsy in Alzheimer’s Disease

“…AD is easily confounded by multi-infarct dementia and fronto-temporal dementia. Lewy body dementia [25], neuro-infections [26], depression [27], autoimmune encephalopathies [28] and normal pressure hydrocephalus [29] are easily misdiagnosed for AD. Not recognizing the treatable NCD forms may lead to missed treatment on one hand and unnecessary AD treatment on the other.…”

A Case of Hashimoto’s Encephalopathy Presenting with Extrapyramidal Symptoms and Spontaneous Remissions

“…Spontan remisyonlar bildirilmişse de nadirdir. [10] Ekstrapiramidal sistem bulgusu olarak daha sık tremor [4] bildirilmekle birlikte, yeni bildirilen bir olgu serisinde %7.7 ile tremor, nadir bulgulardan biridir. [11] Bizim hastamızdakine benzer tarzda parkinsonizm tablosunu taklit eden bir olgu sunumu bildirilmemiştir.…”

“…Hastalık progresif veya tekrarlayıcı bir seyir gösterebilir. [3][4][5] Klinik tablonun şiddeti tiroid fonksiyonlarından ziyade otoimmün antikor titresi ile ilişkilidir. Ancak otoimmün tiroid antikorlarının patogenezdeki yeri net olmamakla birlikte anti tiroid peroksidaz (anti-TPO) antikorlarının tiroid hücrelerine karşı hücresel toksisite ve komplemana bağlı hücresel toksisiteyi artırdığı bilinmektedir.…”