What causes Graves’ disease?

    Last Updated: October 25, 2023

    The thyroid is a gland in the lower neck that produces hormones that regulate many different body functions, including body temperature, body weight, and heart rate. In people with autoimmune hyperthyroid diseases such as Graves’, the immune system mistakenly generates an immune response against parts of the thyroid gland, resulting in the generation of autoantibodies. Some of the autoantibodies in people with Graves’ disease bind to and activate the thyroid gland, causing the overproduction of thyroid hormones. The symptoms of Graves’ disease are caused by both autoimmunity and hyperthyroidism.[1]

    References

    1. ^Antonelli A, Fallahi P, Elia G, Ragusa F, Paparo SR, Ruffilli I, Patrizio A, Gonnella D, Giusti C, Virili C, Centanni M, Shoenfeld Y, Ferrari SMGraves' disease: Clinical manifestations, immune pathogenesis (cytokines and chemokines) and therapy.Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab.(2020-Jan)