Dystrophia Adiposogenitalis 



HAEVEY G. BECK 



BALTIMORE 



Frohlich's Syndrome. Adipositas cerebralis. Hypophyseal dys- 

 trophy. Hypopituitarism. Hypophypophysismus, Syndrome hypophy- 

 saire adiposogenital (Launois and Cleret). Degeneratio seu dystrophia 

 adiposo-genitalis (Bartels(6) ). 



Definition 



A condition due to underfunction of the hypophysis, characterized by 

 obesity, genital hypoplasia and faulty skeletal development; associated 

 with nervous and mental symptoms which are either the direct result of 

 deficient secretion or dependent upon local or general intracranial pres- 



sure. 



Introductory 



In considering the clinical phases, which manifest themselves as the 

 result of disturbances of the glands of internal secretions, it is necessary 

 that one should have a clear conception of the normal functions in order 

 to properly interpret the significance of the various clinical syndromes 

 caused by the deviation of their respective functions from the normal. The 

 remarkable strides, recently made in the study of endocrinology, can be 

 attributed largely to the development of a better knowledge of the physio- 

 logical activities of the various glands by means of animal experimenta- 

 tion, feeding of gland substance, and clinical observation. This is of 

 special significance inasmuch as a diagnosis is established on a functional 

 basis rather than on a pathological-anatomical basis. 



The pituitary has become recognized as one of the most important, if 

 not the most important, gland of the endocrin system. The gland is com- 

 posed of two lobes, which differ from one another embryologically, his- 

 tologically, and functionally. Disturbance of function may give rise to 

 certain syndromes depending upon 



1. Over-function hyperpituitarism (acromegaly, gigantism) 



2. Under-f unction hypopituitarism (dystrophia adiposogenitalis) 



859 



