The 'enigma' of the Mona Lisa comes from DISEASE: Doctors claim da Vinci's model suffered from hypothyroidism - and say this gives the painting its 'charm'
By Cheyenne Macdonald For Dailymail.com 20:45 BST 04 Sep 2018, updated 21:21 BST 04 Sep 2018
・A new analysis suggests hypothyroidism may have caused Mona Lisa's features ・An underactive thyroid can give rise to hair loss, yellowing skin, and goiters ・Researchers say 16th century Italian diet and pregnancy may have spurred it
Few works of art have spurred such debate as the Mona Lisa; from her smiling expression (or lack thereof) to questions on her health, people just can’t quite agree when it comes to Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece.
In recent years, rheumatologists and endocrinologists examining the painting have suggested that the mysterious woman who sat for the portrait hundreds of years ago suffered skin lesions and swelling as a result of a lipid disorder and heart disease.
A new analysis, however, now suggests hypothyroidism may have been responsible for her distinctive features.
Little is known about the life of Lisa Gherardini, the Italian noblewoman who is thought to be the subject of da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.
Her hands in the painting show signs of swelling, and it appears her hair is thinning.
Medical experts have also pointed to her yellowed skin and what could be a goiter – which would appear as an enlargement in the neck – as symptoms of various conditions.
According to Mandeep R. Mehra, MD, medical director of the Heart & Vascular Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital, hypothyroidism could explain these traits.
Hypothyroidism, in which the thyroid gland does not produce high enough amounts of key hormones, can cause thinning hair, yellow skin, and goiters.
