An imbalance of metabolism that occurs from either an overproduction or underproduction of thyroid hormones may be connected to behaviors of ADHD, especially inattentiveness and disorganization. The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped structure located low in the front of the neck. This small gland controls the growth and metabolism of almost every organ in the body by producing two hormones: thyroxine, called T4, and triiodothyronine, called T3 . The pituitary gland located at the base of the brain triggers the release of these hormones when it secretes a substance called thyroidstimulating hormone (TSH). If the thyroid produces too much of the hormone, the TSH level drops to zero.

In 1997 two University of Maryland scientists speculated that thyroid hormones may play a role in the hyperactive and impulsive symptoms of ADHD. Reporting in the February issue of Psychoneuroendocrinology, Hauser and Weintraub found a positive correlation between elevated levels of certain thyroid hormone and ADHD symptoms in a selected group of patients. Resistance to thyroid hormone is a condition when serum levels of T3 and T4 are elevated. Psychologists and psychiatrists, who did not know the patient had thyroid resistance, identified ADHD symptoms in interviews. High levels of T3 and T4 were correlated with ADHD. The findings only showed a correlation and did not imply that the thyroid was the cause of the ADHD behaviors.

Kidd (2000) studied people with ADHD to determine if integrated therapy would help. He found that many items contributed to ADHD, including responses to food additives, molds, fungi, and toxins. He also found that thyroid hypofunction may be a common denominator in linking toxic insults to ADHD behavior. He believes that this condition can be treated without the use of stimulant drugs and with supplementation, diet modification, detoxification, and other integrative/holistic techniques.

However, Spencer et al. (2006) determined that they did not find this relationship of ADHD and thyroid abnormalities including the syndrome of generalized resistance to thyroid hormone. They reviewed the thyroid function of 132 children and failed to find this connection. A minority of the people did have mild abnormalities of the thyroid, but they were not different from rates reported in the literature for normal children.

Bibliography:

1) Hauser, Peter et al. 1997. Thyroid hormones correlate with symptoms of hyperactivity but not inattention in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology 22(2):107-14.

2) Kidd, P. M. 2000. Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children: Rationale for its integrative management. Alternative Medicine Review 5(5):402-28.

3) Spencer, T. et al. 2006. ADHD and thyroid abnormalities: A research note. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 86(5):879-85.

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