ABSTRACT
The central nervous system manifestations of Graves’ hyperthyroidism are varied but include restlessness, irritability, nervousness, and impatience. Graves’ disease is an autoimmune thyroid disorder characterized by clinical hyperthyroidism and the presence of autoantibodies directed against the thyrotropin receptor. Younger patients manifest nervousness, weight loss, anxiety, heat intolerance, hyperdefecation, inability to concentrate, and tremulousness, while older patients may manifest few if any of these typical symptoms. The main features of hyperthyroidism relate to the action of excess thyroid hormone at the cellular level and enhanced beta-adrenergic activity. Typical manifestations include weakness, fatigue, anxiety, tremulousness, heat intolerance, and weight loss. Beta-adrenergic antagonist drugs play an important role in the management of thyrotoxicosis. Blockade of adrenergic receptors provides patients with considerable relief from adrenergic symptoms such as tremor, palpitation, anxiety, and heat intolerance. A number of older studies have failed to show a definitive causal relationship between radioiodine therapy for hyperthyroidism and the subsequent development of thyroid cancer, leukemia, or other malignancies.
