IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/adp/jgjidd/v4y2018i4p67-71.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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

Author

Listed:
  • Dr.Med Benedikt Gasser

    (Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland, Europe)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Dr.Med Benedikt Gasser, 2018. "The Case of Hellmuth in The Autistic Psychopathy – Suffering from Cushing Syndrome?," Global Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, Juniper Publishers Inc., vol. 4(4), pages 67-71, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:adp:jgjidd:v:4:y:2018:i:4:p:67-71
    DOI: 10.19080/GJIDD.2018.04.555643
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://juniperpublishers.com/gjidd/pdf/GJIDD.MS.ID.555643.pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://juniperpublishers.com/gjidd/GJIDD.MS.ID.555643.php
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.19080/GJIDD.2018.04.555643?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kyoko Murakami & Sue Turale & Heather Skirton & Faye Doris & Kumiko Tsujino & Misae Ito & Saeko Kutsunugi, 2016. "Experiences regarding maternal age‐specific risks and prenatal testing of women of advanced maternal age in Japan," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 18(1), pages 8-14, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.

      Corrections

      All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:adp:jgjidd:v:4:y:2018:i:4:p:67-71. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

      If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

      If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

      If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

      For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Robert Thomas (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

      Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

      IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.