2026-05-19T23:16:23Zhttps://keep.lib.asu.edu/oai/request

oai:keep.lib.asu.edu:node-2014252025-06-09T23:41:34Zoai_pmh:alloai_pmh:repo_items

201425 https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.2.N.201425 http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 2025-05 13 pages Houser, Karis Trumble, Ben Aronoff, Jacob Barrett, The Honors College Department of Psychology Background: Thyroid dysfunction is prevalent among older adults. The role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis in depression has been largely studied, however: its relationship with anxiety is under-studied. The overlap of hyperthyroidism and anxiety lead to this investigation of the association between thyroid hormone levels and anxiety. Methods: The non-industrial population studied was the Tsimane. Fasting morning blood samples were collected from 464 participants, aged 40-89, and serum levels of triiodothyronine (T3, thyroxine (T4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Anxiety score was assessed using a questionnaire that was culturally adapted by bilingual Tsimane research assistants. Results: The study showed an association between elevated log T4 levels and increased anxiety scores (b= 0.662, p = 0.013), while T3 and TSH showed no significant correlation with anxiety (p>0.05). Conclusion: The findings are in alignment with results of previous studies in industrialized populations. This association is suggestive of a biological link between high T4 and anxiety. The lifestyle of the Tsimane, however, could have contributed to the variations in thyroid function and anxiety. Thyroid dysfunction Non-industrial Tsimane Thyroxine Anxiety Elevated T4 Correlation with Anxiety in a Forager-Horticulture Population