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Previous Volume 331:1770-1771 December 29, 1994 Number 26 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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Iodine deficiency is by far the most common preventable cause of mental deficits in the world. The evidence for this statement has emerged from a variety of disciplines, including epidemiology, endocrinology, and neurology.¹

The most severe effect of iodine deficiency is endemic cretinism, which is characterized by the combination of mental deficiency, deaf-mutism, and motor rigidity or, less commonly, by severe hypothyroidism. The two forms are often referred to as neurologic cretinism and hypothyroid cretinism, respectively. They may occur separately or together.¹ Both types of cretinism are associated with iodine deficiency that is sufficiently severe to cause goiter in 30 . . . [Full Text of this Article]

References

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Bergen, D. C. (2008). Effects of poverty on cognitive function: A hidden neurologic epidemic. Neurology 71: 447-451 [Abstract] [Full Text]