The relationship of hormones of the hypothalamic – pituitary – thyroid axis with cognitive impairment in patients with schizophrenia

Aim. To study the relationship of serum fT3, fT4, and TSH levels with cognitive impairment in patients with schizophrenia. Materials and methods. The study included 74 patients with schizophrenia. Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected, the severity of psychopathological symptoms was assessed using PANSS, and cognitive functions were evaluated using BACS. Serum levels of fT3, fT4, and TSH in patients were determined using enzyme immunoassay kits. Results. In the group of men with schizophrenia, a negative correlation was found between the concentration of fT3 and verbal fluency ( r s = –0.325; p = 0.033), whereas in women, a positive correlation was found between the concentration of fT4 and motor skills ( r s = 0.372; p = 0.039). Conclusion. The study revealed a linear relationship between thyroid hormones and cognitive impairment in patients with schizophrenia, but the nature of the relationship found differed in men and women. The results of the study confirm the need for regular dynamic monitoring of thyroid hormone levels in patients with schizophrenia in order to prevent the progression of cognitive impairment.