When your body is running low on energy, your brain can actually unplug its own memory centers to save power.
April 10, 2026
Original Paper
Thyroid Hormone Controls Working Memory Mode by Modulating Cortico-Thalamic Communication
SSRN · 6531522
The Takeaway
Research shows that thyroid hormone levels act as a master switch that alters the physical wiring between the prefrontal cortex and the thalamus. This 'power-saving mode' essentially disables high-energy working memory functions based on the body's current metabolic state.
From the abstract
Because complex cognitive functions are energy intensive, coordinating brain activity with the animal’s metabolic state is often critical for survival. Based on the involvement of the thyroid hormone in controlling energy homeostasis along with the observation that hypothyroidism leads to reductions in high-level cognitive functions such as working memory, this hormone has been proposed as a key signal coupling brain activity to metabolic state. However, it remains unclear how the thyroid hormon