Introduction

Thyroid hormones are involved in numerous physiological processes as regulators of metabolism, bone remodeling, cardiac function and mental status. Moreover, thyroid hormones are of special importance in fetal development, more particularly, in the development of the brain. Thus, maintenance of normal thyroid functioning is essential for psychological, biochemical, immunological, endocrinal and physiological well being of the body as well as normal growth and development. Understanding how the thyroid gland is affected by adverse factors can help clinicians to handle emergency situations or apply preventive care measures to patients. Thyroid Toxicity is a comprehensive monograph on thyroid toxicology. It gathers all information about the toxic effects of different kinds of factors (hormonal, radiation and chemical) that affect the thyroid system. The ebook gives a brief introduction to the thyroid system and answers several important questions about the topic such as the biochemical mechanisms through which various compounds (for example, pesticides, food additives, etc.) induce toxicity on the thyroid gland, how endocrine disruption alters the physiology of the human body and brain as well as how radiation harms the thyroid gland. Thyroid Toxicity is the definitive reference for any medical officer, endocrinologist, or toxicologist seeking knowledge on thyroid gland toxicology.