Does the disease immunity granted by one becoming a werewolf also extend to various mental issues such as those found in the autism spectrum disorder? Or is it purely bacterial based ailments?

It seems pretty doubtful to me. Autistic spectrum disorders are developmental disabilities that you're born with. Other neurological conditions are often developmental in nature (like ADHD) or the result of traumatic brain injury, neither of which are "diseases" in the sense that being a werewolf makes you immune.

It also seems doubtful that werewolf disease immunity would protect against mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, etc.

This.

Autism isn't a disease, you can't 'catch' it. Shame on you sir :sadvaultboy:

wtf?

Its a video game. I've not ever seen a case of mental disability aside from a unique characters. What a Bizarre thread.

What.
Even.
Fire?

It is an interesting question non the less, even if it might be useless for any in-game purposes (unless you are making a mod).

I am not sure it is an interesting question. In the game's context, it's pretty clear that immunity to disease refers to the infectious diseases you can catch in the game.

Lycanthropy is known to cause mental issues..

I'm just scared of catching cooties.

Might become a werewolf.

Sadly, becoming a werewolf requires catching werewolf cooties.

There is no outside.

This needs to be stickied.

....Autism isn't a bacterial, fungal, or viral infection.

Lycanthrope can cause mental issues, as a person no longer sleep well (imagine an eternity of insomnia), and as the person transforms more and more, they become closer to being one of Hircine's hounds and prone to violent acts of lunacy.

Indeed. Thus the name lunatic. Small wonder the werewolf NPC's in Bloodmoon were called appropiate names such as "Gibbering Idiot" or "Ravening Lunatic". Also, we had few instances in quests in Daggerfall where characters with Lycanthropy were said to be moody and crazy. Skyrim's release only helps the claim of werewolves being mentally unstable when Sinding tells his tale of why he attacked the little girl.

Still, Lycanthropy is different in Skyrim, I cant recall at the moment, but how long did Kodlak have his transformations under control ?

The members of the Companions were noted to have guidance to at least maintain it, though as seen when recruited, it was affecting the mental state of the Circle. Also, the Huntress, during the mission of first invading the Silver Hand, does note that the werewolves in the cages are likely some random person unable to handle it.

Yeah - it seems likely that the reason the circle is so (supposedly) highly selective with spreading lycanthropy is only the strongest of wills can deal with lycanthropy reasonably. I wonder if there's a canon explanation that caused the change from 'shift every night, MUST kill and eat one sentient being' to the 'shift whenever you want, don't need to eat people but it helps' Is it just a matter of control? Is it a different 'strain' of lycanthropy? (look at all the different types of Vampires, after all) Did Hircine decide to change the rules?

Gameplay.

While the Circle seem to have more control, remember that Lycanthropy is still Lycanthropy and it has a toll on the curse or gifted individual.

"But I can still feel the call of the Blood." Vilkas.

"As do we all. It is our burden to bear." Kodlak.

And we all know who Sinding is? The werewolf imprisoned in Falkreath for killing the young girl. He clearly says he lost control and even goes to say that werewolves shift under the influence of the moons. He had stolen Hircine's ring to control his transformations. And as Hellmouth pointed out, it has to be gameplay reasons. Imagine the hassle to transform every night or every full moon? I wouldn't mind it, but knowing how much people complain now a days, Bethesda made Lycanthropy into a "Shape-shifting" gimmick.

You can only catch autism from a vaccine, and since you're immune to disease anyways...

I sincerely hope that this is a joke. Or a troll.

Anyway, wasn't Daggerfall lycanthropy inheritable? So could the disease immunity theoretically extend to genetic abnormalities in the pre-infected child? Ignoring the fact that Daggerfall might have been retconed and we don't know if genetics (or viruses, etc.) exist in the TES universe.

No trolling just joking around.

That would be a damn shame if Lycanthropy wasn't also hereditary and completely retconned. Genetics obviously exist in the Elder Scrolls. I mean, if a vampire can get an orc woman pregnant with a half vampire child, then I am sure it would be easy for two Lycanthropes to mate and have a child or family curse produce a child who inherited Lycanthropy. It is possible the child is born with resistance to disease and also show signs of aggression and hostility until the date of transformation.

That would be one scary case of 'teenage hormones' :vaultboy:

Some concept of inheriting the parent's traits exists, but can we really call it genetics? The Earth idea of zygotes merging and supplying an equal number of traits obviously doesn't work to produce the children of Nirn, which favor their mother's race. I suppose you could come up with some 'scientific' explanation (gametes not having equal amounts of DNA? Post-conception RNA splicing on behalf of the mother's cells? I'm making this up based on what little I remember of bio), but whatever solution is made it would almost certainly turn out to be needlessly complex.

The only way I can see genetics working in TES is if something like midochondrial DNA determined a whole lot more to Nirnian life than it does for Terrestrial life. Or if the races of Tamriel were actually asixual, with "Males" actually being infertile, women producing children entirely on their own after being "triggered" somehow, and the apparent inheritance from the father being entirely the product of confirmation bias.

I think it's much simpler to say "magical heredity" and call it a day.