Thyroid gland: its functions and diseases

The thyroid gland plays a crucial role in the work of our body, if it does not function properly, metabolic processes are disrupted, and other systems malfunction. It is no coincidence that one day of the year was dedicated to this organ – today, May 25, World Thyroid Day is celebrated.

The name "thyroid" was given to it by the anatomist Thomas Worth in 1656, the gland in its shape reminded him of the shields of the warriors of Ancient Greece. And the first mention of the thyroid gland dates back to the IV century BC - they were found in the writings of Hippocrates and Plato, in the works of physicians of ancient Greece, India and Egypt. According to WHO statistics, among endocrine disorders, thyroid diseases are the second most common after diabetes mellitus.

The thyroid gland produces hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which, released directly into the blood, affect all cells and tissues of the body, regulate the speed of various metabolic processes, thereby influencing the functions of all organs and systems.

In the blood, most of the thyroid hormones are bound to proteins, they are biologically inactive, and only a small fraction of the hormones that are free of proteins actively performs their functions (free T3 and free T4). The "conductor" of the entire endocrine system is the hypothalamic-pituitary system, which consists of two glands: the pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain, and the hypothalamus, located in the brain slightly above the pituitary gland.

The thyroid, pituitary, and hypothalamus work in concert to control thyroid hormone levels. If, for example, there are not enough thyroid hormones in the blood, the pituitary gland increases the production of its thyroid-stimulating hormone (or TSH), which stimulates an increase in the production of hormones by the gland. Once normal thyroid hormone levels are restored, TSH production slows down and approaches normal.

The state of normal functioning of the thyroid gland is called euthyroidism ("eu -" in Greek means "good", "normal"). If the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones, then the metabolic processes in the body slow down. This condition is called hypothyroidism.

If the thyroid hormones become more than necessary, the metabolism increases and develops the opposite state of hypothyroidism-hyperthyroidism.

The symptoms of hypo-and hyperthyroidism are not specific only to thyroid disorders, they can be associated with completely different problems. In order to accurately assess the activity of the thyroid gland, it is enough to donate blood, which primarily assesses the level of TSH, free T4 and free T3.

The term "goiter" refers to an enlarged thyroid gland. Currently, the exact method for determining its size and structure is ultrasound (ultrasound). Autoimmune diseases of the thyroid gland are widespread. Diseases of this type are diffuse toxic goiter (DTZ) and autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT). Each of them occurs in about one in 100 people.

Information prepared by GUZOT " Tsozimp» based on the materials of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "NMIC TPM" of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.