Biomaterial Database

Fluctuating dermatoglyphic asymmetry in psychotic twins. 1989

T A Markow, and I I Gottesman

Dept. of Zoology, Arizona State University, Tempe 85287.

Fluctuating asymmetry of bilateral morphological traits is the result of prenatal developmental instability and has been shown to be greater in organisms having more homozygous genotypes (aabb vs. AaBb, for example). This expected increase in fluctuating asymmetry has been found among individuals having a high degree of liability for schizophrenia, as this disorder appears to have a polygenic basis. We tested the additional prediction that the greater genetic liability for schizophrenia necessary for concordance between twins should be associated with greater fluctuating asymmetry in twin pairs in which both twins are mentally ill compared to twin pairs in which one individual is normal. Our analysis of asymmetry for finger ridge counts from fingerprints of concordant and discordant pairs of twins supports this prediction and provides additional indirect support for the roles of polygenic transmission and prenatal epigenetic vulnerability in schizophrenia.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010641	Phenotype	The outward appearance of the individual. It is the product of interactions between genes, and between the GENOTYPE and the environment.	Phenotypes
D003878	Dermatoglyphics	The study of the patterns of ridges of the skin of the fingers, palms, toes, and soles.	Fingerprints,Plantar Prints,Fingerprint,Plantar Print,Print, Plantar,Prints, Plantar
D004200	Diseases in Twins	Disorders affecting TWINS, one or both, at any age.	Diseases in Twin,Twin, Diseases in,Twins, Diseases in,in Twin, Diseases,in Twins, Diseases
D005786	Gene Expression Regulation	Any of the processes by which nuclear, cytoplasmic, or intercellular factors influence the differential control (induction or repression) of gene action at the level of transcription or translation.	Gene Action Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression,Expression Regulation, Gene,Regulation, Gene Action,Regulation, Gene Expression
D006720	Homozygote	An individual in which both alleles at a given locus are identical.	Homozygotes
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D001523	Mental Disorders	Psychiatric illness or diseases manifested by breakdowns in the adaptational process expressed primarily as abnormalities of thought, feeling, and behavior producing either distress or impairment of function.	Mental Illness,Psychiatric Diseases,Psychiatric Disorders,Psychiatric Illness,Behavior Disorders,Diagnosis, Psychiatric,Mental Disorders, Severe,Psychiatric Diagnosis,Illness, Mental,Mental Disorder,Mental Disorder, Severe,Mental Illnesses,Psychiatric Disease,Psychiatric Disorder,Psychiatric Illnesses,Severe Mental Disorder,Severe Mental Disorders
D012559	Schizophrenia	A severe emotional disorder of psychotic depth characteristically marked by a retreat from reality with delusion formation, HALLUCINATIONS, emotional disharmony, and regressive behavior.	Dementia Praecox,Schizophrenic Disorders,Disorder, Schizophrenic,Disorders, Schizophrenic,Schizophrenias,Schizophrenic Disorder
D014430	Twins, Monozygotic	Two off-spring from the same PREGNANCY. They are from a single fertilized OVUM that split into two EMBRYOS. Such twins are usually genetically identical and of the same sex.	Twins, Identical,Identical Twin,Identical Twins,Monozygotic Twin,Monozygotic Twins,Twin, Identical,Twin, Monozygotic