Neuropsychological impairment in Hashimoto's encephalopathy: A case report and literature review. 2018

Liorah Sabbah-Talasazan, and Irene Piryatinsky
a Department of Psychology , Suffolk University , Boston , Massachusetts , USA.

Hashimoto's encephalopathy (HE) is a rare neurological syndrome characterized by the presence of positive serum antithyroid antibodies, altered mental status, and clinical response to glucocorticoid therapy. Although HE has been documented in the literature from a medical standpoint, reports on the neuropsychological presentation of this syndrome are scarce. This article presents a literature review of cognitive deficits reported in HE cases. In addition, we describe the case of a 76-year-old Russian speaking woman diagnosed with HE in May 2012. MRIs from her disease course and treatment are presented. Posttreatment neuropsychological testing revealed intact attention and construction and impairment in working memory, processing speed, learning, executive functioning, language, and bilateral fine motor dexterity, all of which impacted her functional abilities. Her profile was inconsistent with the typical dementia process. This case demonstrates the utility of neuropsychological assessment for understanding cognitive and functional consequences of HE. The issue of differential diagnosis with dementia is also discussed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007802 Language A verbal or nonverbal means of communicating ideas or feelings. Dialect,Dialects,Languages
D007858 Learning Relatively permanent change in behavior that is the result of past experience or practice. The concept includes the acquisition of knowledge. Phenomenography
D008570 Memory, Short-Term Remembrance of information for a few seconds to hours. Immediate Recall,Memory, Immediate,Working Memory,Memory, Shortterm,Immediate Memories,Immediate Memory,Immediate Recalls,Memories, Immediate,Memories, Short-Term,Memories, Shortterm,Memory, Short Term,Recall, Immediate,Recalls, Immediate,Short-Term Memories,Short-Term Memory,Shortterm Memories,Shortterm Memory,Working Memories
D009483 Neuropsychological Tests Tests designed to assess neurological function associated with certain behaviors. They are used in diagnosing brain dysfunction or damage and central nervous system disorders or injury. Aphasia Tests,Cognitive Test,Cognitive Testing,Cognitive Tests,Memory for Designs Test,Neuropsychological Testing,AX-CPT,Behavioral Assessment of Dysexecutive Syndrome,CANTAB,Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery,Clock Test,Cognitive Function Scanner,Continuous Performance Task,Controlled Oral Word Association Test,Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System,Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment,Hooper Visual Organization Test,NEPSY,Neuropsychologic Tests,Neuropsychological Test,Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test,Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status,Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure,Symbol Digit Modalities Test,Test of Everyday Attention,Test, Neuropsychological,Tests, Neuropsychological,Tower of London Test,Neuropsychologic Test,Test, Cognitive,Testing, Cognitive,Testing, Neuropsychological,Tests, Cognitive
D003072 Cognition Disorders Disorders characterized by disturbances in mental processes related to learning, thinking, reasoning, and judgment. Overinclusion,Disorder, Cognition,Disorders, Cognition
D004660 Encephalitis Inflammation of the BRAIN due to infection, autoimmune processes, toxins, and other conditions. Viral infections (see ENCEPHALITIS, VIRAL) are a relatively frequent cause of this condition. Inflammation, Brain,Rasmussen Syndrome,Brain Inflammation,Encephalitis, Rasmussen,Rasmussen Encephalitis,Rasmussen's Syndrome,Brain Inflammations
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D050031 Hashimoto Disease Chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, characterized by the presence of high serum thyroid AUTOANTIBODIES; GOITER; and HYPOTHYROIDISM. Hashimoto's Disease,Chronic Lymphocytic Thyroiditis,Hashimoto Struma,Hashimoto Thyroiditis,Hashimoto's Struma,Hashimoto's Syndrome,Chronic Lymphocytic Thyroiditides,Disease, Hashimoto,Disease, Hashimoto's,Hashimoto Syndrome,Hashimoto Thyroiditides,Hashimoto's Syndromes,Hashimotos Disease,Hashimotos Syndrome,Lymphocytic Thyroiditides, Chronic,Lymphocytic Thyroiditis, Chronic,Syndrome, Hashimoto's,Syndromes, Hashimoto's,Thyroiditides, Chronic Lymphocytic,Thyroiditides, Hashimoto,Thyroiditis, Chronic Lymphocytic,Thyroiditis, Hashimoto

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