Women with low or high levels of the hormone thyrotropin (also known as Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, or TSH) have an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The findings were reported in the July 28 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.In this large study, which was part of the community-based Framingham Study, almost 2,000 patients were periodically evaluated for dementia over more than a decade.

Over almost 13 years of follow ups, 209 patients developed Alzheimer’s disease. In women, TSH levels were significantly linked to Alzheimer’s disease, and there was a greater than two-fold higher risk for the women with a TSH below 1.0 and those with levels above 2.1. (No relationship was seen in men.)