[Septo-optic dysplasia with congenital hypopituitarism (author's transl)]

The syndrome of septo-optic dysplasia with congenital hypopituitarism consists of optic nerve hypoplasia, midline malformations of the prosencephalon and hypothalamic hypopituitarism. There is great variability of these features and clinical manifestation is age-dependent: Newborns present with hypoglycemic seizures, apnea, cyanosis, hypotonia, prolonged jaundice (and micropenis in boys) because of growth hormone and/or ACTH-deficiencies. Wandering eye movements and more or less visual disturbance become evident during infancy and growth retardation even later in some cases. Early recognition is facilitated by the pathognomonic fundoscopic findings, together with normal electroretinogram, absent visually evoked potentials and computer tomography. Early hormone substitution is essential to prevent hypoglycemic damage.