ATYPICAL SEX CHROMOSOME PATTERNS

• ATYPICAL SEX CHROMOSOMES PATTERNS (OUTLINE)

  1. Kleinefelters syndrome (KS)
  2. Turners syndrome (TS)
• KLEINEFELTERS SYNDROME (KS)

  description =

  due to an XXY configuration. Affects approximately 1 in 1000 males. Biological male, the individual is born with a penis + develops as a fairly normal male.
• KLEINEFELTERS SYNDROME (KS)


  physical =

  Taller than avg (long gangly limbs), problems with coordination, less muscular coordination, underdeveloped genitals + often infertile. Due to reduced testosterone, have less facial hair, broader hips, breast tissue (gynecomastia), rounding of body contours
• KLEINEFELTERS SYNDROME (KS)


  psychological =

  poorly developed language skills + reading ability, tend to be shy + passive
• KLEINEFELTERS SYNDROME (KS)


  medical complications =

  such as cardiovascular, circulatory + respiratory conditions, also health problems more commonly found in females E.G breast cancer
• TURNERS SYNDROME (TS)

  description =

  due to an XO configuration (second chromosome is missing). They have 45 chromosomes. It affects approximately 1 in 2000-5000 females. The individual is born with a vagina/womb
• TURNERS SYNDROME (TS)


  physical =

  shorter than average, lack or monthly periods (amenorrhoea), due to underdeveloped ovaries = therefore sterile. Do not develop breasts at puberty, with smaller lower jaw, webbed neck, narrow hips (high waist to hip ratio). Adults with TS are physically immature + tend to retain the appearance of pre-pubescent girls
• TURNERS SYNDROME (TS)


  psychological =

  higher than average reading ability. Performance in school is spatial, visual memory + mathematical tasks is lower than average. They are socially immature, have trouble reading to peers + experience difficulty fitting in
• TURNERS SYNDROME (TS)


  medical complications =

  such as heart conditions, high blood pressure, vision + hearing problems
• ABNORMALITIES

  
• (+)  medical complications/psychological deficiencies for KS

  DELISI ET AL. They subjected 11 KS participants and 11 non-ks controls to a psychiatric interview, cognitive tests and an MRI scan. Ten of KS males had some form of psychiatric disturbance and generally KS males had smaller frontal lobes, temporal lobes and superior temporal gyrus brain areas, which might explain the language deficits noted in the KS participants. This suggests a biological basis to the problems experienced by some KS males.
• (+) medical complications for TS

  PRICE ET AL. They performed a longitudinal study for 17 years of 156 females with TS who survived infancy, finding that 15 died in that time compared with an expected 3.5 deaths in matched non ts females. The major causes of death were cardiovascular and circulatory conditions, with the findings confirming the notion that TS sufferers have a shorter than average lifespan.
• (-) ATYPICAL SEX CHROM

  It ignores the nature debate. The environment and social influence are more responsible for behavioural differences; social immaturity may arise from the fact they are treated ‘immaturity’ by the people around them eg)parents and teachers. There is  higher criminality which is often seen in males with klinefelters but this may be due to a lack of maturity through not achieving fatherhood or having a long term partner. 
• (-) ATYPICAL SEX CHROM 


  Unusual sample as there is a lack of generalisability from atypical individuals due to the unusual and unrepresentative sample of people. Only around 1⁄3 of people with KS are aware they have the condition and significantly fewer have been subjected to psychological research. This limits the extent to which generalisations can be made, because we are drawing conclusions from a very small sample.