Psycho-emotional state of rats under thyroid dysfunction

Spontaneous behavioral activity of white rats and concentration of glutamate, glycine and gamma-aminobutyric acid in the neocortex in experimental hyper- and hypothyroidism was investigated. It was found that an excess of thyroid hormones was accompanied by emotional and anxiolytic effects in terms of reducing duration of grooming by 37% and increasing number of transitions and the time spent in the illuminated cross-shaped maze arms (26 % and 35%). Such behavior changes occurred against a background of increasing concentrations of GABA by 52 % (p<0,05) in the cortex of animals with experimental hyperthyroidism. Perhaps, the psycho-emotional state of the organism is modulated by thyroid hormones through the GABA - ergic system of neocortex.