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Graves disease
Make it clearer
Graves disease is an autoimmune disease, meaning the body's defense system makes a mistake and attacks something of its own. What it attacks here is mainly the thyroid gland, the gland in the neck that sets the pace of metabolism, and it is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, which is having too much thyroid hormone.
The culprit is a thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin, an antibody. Antibodies normally tag an invader; this one instead sticks to the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor, the lock on the surface of the thyroid cell, and stimulates the action of that hormone. The antibody is a fake key that opens the lock and leaves it open.
Under that stimulation, the gland makes more thyroid hormone and also grows: that is hyperthyroidism and thyromegaly, which is the increase in the size of the thyroid. Graves disease does not stop there: it can also affect the eyes and the skin.
In brief
Graves disease is an autoimmune disease that mainly affects the thyroid gland and is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism.
It is caused by a thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin that binds the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor on the thyroid cell and stimulates its action.
The antibody is a fake key that opens the lock and leaves it open.
That stimulation increases thyroid hormone synthesis and enlarges the gland, producing hyperthyroidism and thyromegaly; it can also affect the eyes and skin.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingGraves Disease, StatPearlsPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated