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Several genetic conditions are much more prevalent in males than in females. A hypothesis is that this is because the Y chromosome is very small and contains li
by dtech 8y ago
Several genetic conditions are much more prevalent in males than in females. A hypothesis is that this is because the Y chromosome is very small and contains little gene overlap with the X chromosome. Any genetic variations in the X chromosome thus have a much higher impact in a male than the same X chromosome in a female would have.
We know ASD has a strong genetic component, so combining these results in another hypothesis for the higher prevalence of ASD in males, namely that it is affected by the X-Y chromosome dichotomy.
- CydeWeys 8y agoMen only have one copy of both the X and Y chromosomes, whereas women have two copies the X chromosome. This means that any recessive genetic disorders (on either the X or Y chromosome) will be expressed in men whereas women will only be a carrier unless they have the same mutation on both chromosomes. This isn't just a hypothesis, it's a well-documented fact. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_linkage https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_linkage for more info.