Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Encephalopathy

Abstract

Although very rare, the literature describes cases of Hashimoto encephalopathy attesting to its occurrence. Affected patients present with seizures, stroke-like episodes, transient focal and global neurological deficits, and a variety of neuropsychiatric disturbance from dementia to hallucinations and psychosis. The encephalopathy evolves with concomitantly elevated anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies, independent from hormonal thyroid function setting it apart from thyrotoxicosis and myxedema. A new patient reported with Hashimoto’s encephalopathy, in whom neurocognitive impairment and stroke-like onset of hemiparesis and hemiparkinsonism correlated with brain magnetic resonance imaging fused with positron emission tomography.