Immunologische Störungen und Immuntherapie
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Brief Note on Hashimoto's Disease

Dana V. Res

Hashimoto's disease is an autoimmune disease (a disorder in which the immune system turns against the body's tissues). In Hashimoto's disease, the immune system attacks the thyroid gland. Hashimoto's disease may lead to hypothyroidism, which is a condition of the thyroid not being able to make enough hormones for the body's needs. The thyroid is a small gland at the base of the neck, below your Adam's apple. The thyroid gland is a part of our endocrine system, which produces hormones for coordinating lots of our body's functions. In Hashimoto's disease, white blood cells and antibodies mistakenly attack the cells of the thyroid. The exact cause of Hashimoto's is not known, but many factors like genes, hormones (sex hormones), excessive iodine, radiation exposure are believed to play a role.