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Prisoners of XYY Constitution: Biochemical Studies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

A. W. Griffiths ,
V. Marks ,
D. Fry ,
G. Morley  and
Gillian Lewis
A. W. Griffiths
Affiliation:
H.M. Prison, Heathfield Road, Wandsworth, London, S.W.18
V. Marks
Affiliation:
University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey
D. Fry
Affiliation:
The Epsom Hospital Laboratories at West Park Hospital, Epsom, Surrey
G. Morley
Affiliation:
The Epsom Hospital Laboratories at West Park Hospital, Epsom, Surrey
Gillian Lewis
Affiliation:
The Epsom Hospital Laboratories at West Park Hospital, Epsom, Surrey
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The XYY constitution has achieved some measure of clinical definition, having been found in association with tallness, asocial personality, dilution of intelligence (Griffiths, 1971) and a tendency to psychopathic disorder (Griffiths, Richards, Zaremba, Abramowicz and Stewart, 1970). In addition, neurological, endocrinological, skeletal and other abnormalities have been reviewed (Griffiths, 1971), and the condition, like mongolism, has come to be regarded as affecting many systems of the body to a greater or lesser extent. Biochemical investigations, hitherto largely concerned with sex hormones, especially testosterone, have in general revealed no significant difference from matched controls. Some authors have, however, reported increased plasma testosterone levels both in 46 XY and 47 XYY patients of maximum security hospitals as compared to patients in other psychiatric hospitals and to the general population (Ismail, Harkness, Kirkham, Loraine, Whatmore and Brittain, 1968; Rudd, Galal and Casey, 1968; Price and Van de Molen, 1970). The pre-eminent desirability of rigorously selected controls has been remarked on in these investigations.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 121 , Issue 563 , October 1972 , pp. 365 - 368
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1972 

References

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