4. Atypical sex chromosome patterns

• What are atypical sex chromosome patterns?


  any sex chromosomes that deviates from the usual XX/XY which is associated with physical and psychological symptoms
• What is Klinefelter's syndrome?


  a syndrome affecting males in which an individuals genotype has an additional X chromosome (XXY)
• How many males does Klinefelter's syndrome affect?


  1 in 500 people
• What are the physical characteristics of Klinefelter's syndrome?


  • small testes (undeveloped and don't produce sperm)
  • long legs
  • reduced body hair
  • breast development
• What are the psychological characteristics of Klinefelter's syndrome?


  • problems with reading/writing (dyslexia)
  • problems with memory
  • problems with problem solving
  • tendency to become upset
  • behavioral passivity
• What is Turner's syndrome?

  a syndrome which affects women in which an individuals genotype has a missing second X chromosome (XO)
• How many women does Turner's syndrome affect?


  1 in 2000
• What are physical characteristics of Turner's syndrome?


  • short height
  • ovaries not working properly (leads to absence of periods and infertility)
  • broad chest with no breast development
  • wide/short/webbed neck
  • puffy hands and feet
• What are the psychological characteristics of Turner's syndrome?


  • strong reading ability
  • strong language skills
  • poor spatial skills
  • poor visual memory
  • poor mathematical ability
  • social immaturity