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Neuroendocrine Dysfunction Presenting as Chronic Psychosis in a Low Resource Setting: A Case of Untreated Growth Hormone Deficiency with Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism in a Young Adult Male


Authors : Abdullahi Ibrahim; Zubairu Umar; Adebayo Adebisi Sunday; Abubakar Baguda Sulaiman; Abdulaziz Hadi Ibrahim; Junaidu Sarki; Shamsudeen Nasiru Shehu

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 5 - May


Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/bd4pftu7

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/3dzze3e5

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26May1703

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.


Abstract : Background: Disorders affecting the hypothalamic-pituitary axis may present with prominent psychiatric symptoms, including psychosis. In low resource settings, limited access to neuroimaging, endocrine assays, and specialist review can delay recognition of an underlying organic cause.  Objective: To report a young adult male with untreated childhood onset growth hormone deficiency, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and mild hyperprolactinemia who presented primarily with chronic psychosis, and to highlight the diagnostic, therapeutic, and genetic implications of this presentation.  Case Presentation: A 24 year old male had a 3 year history of progressive paranoid ideas, visual hallucinations, social withdrawal, insomnia, and depressive symptoms. Physical examination showed severe short stature, low body mass index, micropenis, and absence of secondary sexual characteristics. Laboratory evaluation revealed markedly reduced insulin like growth factor 1 and insulin like growth factor binding protein 3, very low gonadotropin and testosterone levels, and mildly raised prolactin. A five generation pedigree showed earlier consanguineous unions, supporting a possible recessive neuroendocrine disorder.  Outcome: Treatment with haloperidol and flupenthixol produced partial improvement in sleep, self care, and social functioning, but the central paranoid belief persisted. The endocrine and psychiatric profile remained most consistent with hypothalamic-pituitary disease, either congenital or structural.  Conclusion: Severe short stature, absent pubertal development, multiple pituitary hormone abnormalities, visual hallucinations, and poor response of core delusional content should prompt investigation for organic causes of psychosis. Early multidisciplinary assessment is especially important where delayed diagnosis can lead to prolonged disability.

Keywords : Psychosis; Growth Hormone Deficiency; Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism; Hyperprolactinemia; Pituitary Disorder; Organic Psychosis; Consanguinity; Low Resource Setting

References :

  1. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text rev. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2022.
  2. De Hert M, Correll CU, Bobes J, Cetkovich-Bakmas M, Cohen D, Asai I, et al. Physical illness in patients with severe mental disorders. I. Prevalence, impact of medications and disparities in health care. World Psychiatry. 2011; 10(1):52-77.
  3. Ranke MB. Short and long-term effects of growth hormone in children and adolescents with GH deficiency. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021; 12:720419. doi:10.3389/fendo.2021.720419.
  4. Fang Q, George AS, Brinkmeier ML, Mortensen AH, Gergics P, Cheung LYM, Daly AZ, et al. Genetics of combined pituitary hormone deficiency: roadmap into the genome era. Endocr Rev. 2016; 37(6):636-675. doi:10.1210/er.2016-1101.
  5. Klibanski A. Clinical practice. Prolactinomas. N Engl J Med. 2010; 362(13):1219-1226. Doi: 10.1056/NEJMcp0912025.
  6. Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, editors. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier; 2020.
  7. Schlechte JA. Clinical practice. Prolactinoma. N Engl J Med. 2003; 349(21):2035-2041. Doi: 10.1056/NEJMcp025334.
  8. Nieman LK. Hypothalamic-pituitary disorders. In: Jameson JL, De Groot LJ, editors. Harrison’s Endocrinology. 4th Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2017.
  9. Wei IH, Huang CC. Risk of mental illnesses in patients with hypopituitarism: a nationwide population-based cohort study. Psychiatry Investig. 2022; 19(6):418-426. doi:10.30773/pi.2022.0010.
  10. World Health Organization. ICD-11 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2022.

Background: Disorders affecting the hypothalamic-pituitary axis may present with prominent psychiatric symptoms, including psychosis. In low resource settings, limited access to neuroimaging, endocrine assays, and specialist review can delay recognition of an underlying organic cause.  Objective: To report a young adult male with untreated childhood onset growth hormone deficiency, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and mild hyperprolactinemia who presented primarily with chronic psychosis, and to highlight the diagnostic, therapeutic, and genetic implications of this presentation.  Case Presentation: A 24 year old male had a 3 year history of progressive paranoid ideas, visual hallucinations, social withdrawal, insomnia, and depressive symptoms. Physical examination showed severe short stature, low body mass index, micropenis, and absence of secondary sexual characteristics. Laboratory evaluation revealed markedly reduced insulin like growth factor 1 and insulin like growth factor binding protein 3, very low gonadotropin and testosterone levels, and mildly raised prolactin. A five generation pedigree showed earlier consanguineous unions, supporting a possible recessive neuroendocrine disorder.  Outcome: Treatment with haloperidol and flupenthixol produced partial improvement in sleep, self care, and social functioning, but the central paranoid belief persisted. The endocrine and psychiatric profile remained most consistent with hypothalamic-pituitary disease, either congenital or structural.  Conclusion: Severe short stature, absent pubertal development, multiple pituitary hormone abnormalities, visual hallucinations, and poor response of core delusional content should prompt investigation for organic causes of psychosis. Early multidisciplinary assessment is especially important where delayed diagnosis can lead to prolonged disability.

Keywords : Psychosis; Growth Hormone Deficiency; Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism; Hyperprolactinemia; Pituitary Disorder; Organic Psychosis; Consanguinity; Low Resource Setting

Paper Submission Last Date
30 - June - 2026

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