A Study of Basal Thyroid Functions in Drug Naive First Episode Depression.

Introduction: In patients with endocrine disorders there is a high prevalence of Mood disorders in general and particularly major depression. Specifically Regarding thyroid diseases, according to Boswell et al.,(1997), the Prevalence of depressive symptoms is quite higher ranging from (30–50%) Where as in patients primarily diagnosed with major depression, there is Rarely a picture of overt thyroid dysfunction. Although, a relationship between clinical disorders of the thyroid Gland and depression has been well established, the significance of the Association between thyroid function and major depression is much less Clear. Hence the possibility of a relationship between thyroid gland, brain And depression has been of interest to both clinicians and researchers for More than two centuries. According to Joffe et al.,(1990), the reviews on various studies have Yielded a conflicting data in thyroid functioning in acute depression, However the most consistent findings have been elevated total thyroxin(T4) Or free thyroxin(FT4) within “the euthyroid range” that decreases with Treatment for depression. In India, very little work has been done in this field. Chopra VK et Al.,(2001) has done a study on basal thyroid function in depressive illness And concluded that total thyroxin(T4) levels were elevated in the drug naive First episode depressive patients as compared to health controls. This is in Agreement with most of the earlier studies (Whybrow et al., 1972; Takahashi Et al., 1974; Kierkegaard and Faber, 1981; Muller and Boning, 1988). Scope of the Study : Even though a lot of studies were done in this field World wide, In South India the studies are limited and also there are conflicting datas on Thyroid function in acute depression. Hence there is an utmost need to Evaluate the basal thyroid function in major depression. So the present study Was conducted to evaluate the basal thyroid functions in drug naive patients With first episode of depression and to compare the findings with the normal Controls