The Case of Hellmuth in The Autistic Psychopathy – Suffering from Cushing Syndrome?

Dr.Med Benedikt Gasser
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Dr.Med Benedikt Gasser: Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland, Europe

Global Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, 2018, vol. 4, issue 4, 67-71

Abstract: Autism spectrum disorders are increasingly linked to an altered endocrine metabolism and it was hypothesized that any disturbances in Hypothalamus-Pituitary adrenal gland axis respectively steroid hormone metabolism is reflected in the habitus of affected autistic individuals. One case described by Hans Asperger [1] was Hellmuth – at the time of description an 11-year-old boy – for whom strong indicators concerning an endocrine pathology can be found. If comparing with Cushing syndrome remarkable similarities can be identified. Weak bones would be in line with a glucocorticoid induced osteoporosis or even rachitis with involvement of thyroid and parathyroid glands. Interestingly, Hellmuth was treated with thyroid and hypothalamus hormones not having substantial effects. He was described having a face with hanging chops and with a small head remembering of a microcephalus, which can be further interpreted as signs of a typical Cushing Habitus. Laboratory parameters are missing, but the clinical signs are relatively straight forward, and an endocrinology involvement was explicitly mentioned by Hans Asperger [1]. Probably, hormones from different classes’ glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids and androgens were involved. Furthermore, mentioned sleep disturbances are in line with a dysregulation of Melatonin Stimulating Hormone on pineal gland level and the abnormal diet might be a result of a dysregulation of Insulin and Glucagon homeostasis in line with a general endocrine dysregulation in this autistic individual suffering from Asperger Syndrome.

Keywords: Journal of Intellectual; Intellectual & Developmental; Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities; Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities; journal of intellectual disability research; journal of intellectual disabilities; journal of intellectual disability research impact factor; journal of intellectual property studies; open access publishers in usa; juniper publishers review (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:adp:jgjidd:v:4:y:2018:i:4:p:67-71

DOI: 10.19080/GJIDD.2018.04.555643

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