Auxiliary Genes for Determining Sex as Contributory Causes of Mental Illness
Deviations from the normal sex pattern in the mental sphere and their known relationships to psychosis have been discussed. A possible mode of inheritance of sex inversion has been described. The results of a survey of the family histories of 1000 patients in the Ontario Hospital, London, Canada, have been analysed in order to test this hypothesis. It was found that male patients are more likely to have male close relatives with mental illness than to have female close relatives with mental illness. The converse appears to be true for female patients. This phenomenon can be interpreted as supporting the view that auxiliary genes which play a part in sex determination in man are contributory causes of mental illness. Some other possible explanations have also been mentioned.