Growth hormone deficiency, brain development, and intelligence
H. F. Meyer-Bahlburg, J. A. Feinman, M. H. MacGillivray and T. Aceto Jr
Twenty-nine patients with growth hormone (GH) deficiency were selected
according to the following criteria: no evidence of reversible GH
deficiency, onset of growth retardation in early childhood, and no evidence
of pituitary tumors or other direct pituitary trauma. Fourteen patients had
evidence of multiple hormone deficiencies, 14 had isolated GH deficiency,
and one patient questionable isolated GH deficiency. Psychometric testing
showed a normal IQ distribution. The GH deficiency was not associated with
deficiencies in specific mental abilities. Likewise, GH treatment in later
childhood and adolescence did not seem to influence intelligence. Patients
with multiple hormone deficiencies had somewhat lower IQs than patients
with isolated GH deficiency when socioeconomic status was controlled. We
conclude that GH deficiency itself does not seem to affect human brain
development and intelligence.
