Thyroid hormone metabolism brain

Like steroid hormones, thyroid hormones interact with receptors to alter genomic activity and affect the synthesis of specific proteins during development [25-28], As with testosterone and progesterone, metabolic transformation of thyroxine (T4) is critical to its action [25-28]. Moreover, as with steroid hormones, thyroid hormones alter brain functions in adult life in ways that both resemble and differ from their action during development [25-28]. 

Recent studies of the regulation of thyroid hormone metabolism in the brain of the rat indicate that the intracellular brain T3 level is dependent on the serum T4 and not on serum T3, as is the case with the liver, heart and lungs (Larsen, 1989 Oppenheimer and Schwartz, 1997). 

In the early 70 s, when different approaches to studying these problems experimentally were considered, the distribution of thyroid hormones in the brain had not yet been systematically examined. Since that time a number of studies have addressed the issue of regional, cellular and sub-cellular localization and metabolism of thyroid hormones in brain (7-9). 

In individuals who took thyroid hormones, 80% of the weight lost was lean body mass (muscle and bone) rather than excess fat. People taking these extracts experienced muscle weakness and bone breakdown, which led to a condition called osteoporosis, in which bones are weakened and the risk of bone fractures or breaks is increased. Thyroid hormone extracts also made the heart work harder by increasing metabolism, which led to problems such as increased heart rate, palpitations, and irregular heartbeat. These problems were potentially life threatening When the heart beats abnormally (or not at all), it is unable to pump blood and oxygen to the brain and body. Individuals die suddenly from this condition because the brain can only function for a few minutes without oxygen and nutrients. 

There is no such clear cut difTcrcnlialiun as metamorphosis in the mammal, but development is an extremely complex process and has been shown to depend upon the presence of adequate amounts of thyroid hormones. Deficient development, especially of the central nervous system, is marked in ehildren suffering from thyroid deficiency early in life, ansi this inadequacy cannot be overcome completely by medication commenced after the first few weeks. In the adult, thyroxine is important in the maintenance of energy turnover in most of the tissues of the body, such as the heart, skeletal muscle, liver, and kidney, Other physiological functions, most notably brain aclivity and reproduction, are also dependent upon thyroxine, although the metabolic rales of the tissues concerned in these functions do not seem to be altered. 

Figure 5 is a model of the peripheral metabolism of thyroid hormone in normal humans which places the production of plasma T3 and the clearance of plasma rT3 predominantly in tissues with PTU-sensitive, type I deiodinase activity. Although the role of the liver is emphasized, contribution of the kidneys is not excluded. Clearance of plasma T3 and production of plasma rT3 is located mainly in tissues such as brain and perhaps skin with PTU-insensitive, type III deiodinase activity. 

Schematic representation of the major steps in the regulation of thyroid hormone secretions and metabolism at five levels, namely, brain, hypothalamus, pituitary thyrotropes, thyroid, and peripheral tissues.

Thyroid hormones are essential for the normal maturation and metabolism of all the tissues in the body. Their effects on tissue maturation are most dramatically seen in congenital hypothyroidism, a condition which, unless treated within months of birth, results in permanent brain damage. Hypothyroid children have delayed skeletal maturation, short stature and delayed pubeny. 

The thyroid gland is the only part of the body that absorbs iodine. Thyroid cells use iodine to produce thyroid hormones, which regulate metabolism. Low levels of iodine in the diet can lead to thyroid-hormone deficiencies and goiters, which are enlarged thyroid glands. In serious cases, low levels of thyroid hormones can cause birth defects and brain damage. In the United States, potassium iodide is added to most table salt to protect against dietary iodine deficiency. Even small amounts of added iodine can prevent iodine-deficiency disorders. However, there are parts of the world in which iodine deficiency is still prevalent. 

Iodine is an essential element in humans and other mammals, which is used for the synthesis of the thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). These hormones play a prominent role in the metabolism of most cells of the organism and in the process of early growth and development of most organs, especially brain (Anderson et al., 2000). Besides T3 and T4, reverse T3 (rT3), monoiodotyrosine (MIT), and diiodotyrosine (DIT) are also synthesized and distributed in the body of humans and animals, but only T3 and T4 have a biological function. Iodine in the human body mainly comes through dietary and water intake, and inhalation of atmospheric iodine. Due to low concentrations of iodine in the air (10—20ng/m ), food and water intake form the major source of iodine for adults, while for infants it is milk. The concentration of iodine in foodstuffs is directly related to that in the environment where the foods come from. Iodine deficiency disorders are mainly found in places where the concentration of iodine in the soil and drinking water is very low. In the water, foodsmffs, and... 

It is evident that variations in thyroid hormone levels are among the main physiological modulators of in vivo cellular oxidative stress. The hypermetabolic state in hyperthyroidism is associated with increases in free radical production and lipid peroxidation (LP), and the hypomet-abolic state in hypothyroidism is generally associated with a decrease in free radical production and LP in most tissues (Fernandez et ai, 1985 Venditti et ai, 1997). The development of a hyperthyroid state in vertebrates leads to enhancement of their basal metabolic rate due to an increase in the rate of O2 consumption in most tissues, excluding the spleen, testis and adult brain (Barker and Klitgaard, 1952). Thyroid hormones were shown... 

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