Petra Gyuris

Sexual imprinting in human mate choice

Animal and human studies have shown that individuals choose mates partly on the basis of similarity, a tendency referred to as homogamy. Several authors have suggested that a specific innate recognition mechanism, phenotypic matching, allows the organism to detect similar others by their resemblance to itself. However, several objections have been raised to this theory on both empirical and theoretical grounds. Here, we report that homogamy in humans is attained partly by sexual imprinting on the opposite–sex parent during childhood. We hypothesized that children fashion a mental model of their opposite–sex parents phenotype that is used as a template for acquiring mates. To disentangle the effects of phenotypic matching and sexual imprinting, adopted daughters and their rearing families were examined. Judges found significant resemblance on facial traits between daughters husband and her adoptive father. Furthermore, this effect may be modified by the quality of the father–daughter relationship during childhood. Daughters who received more emotional support from their adoptive father were more likely to choose mates similar to the father than those whose father provided a less positive emotional atmosphere.

Homogamy, genetic similarity, and imprinting; parental influence on mate choice preferences

Abstract Whereas the hypothesis of genetically mediated homogamy has been supported by several studies, certain theoretical and methodological criticisms have been raised against genetic similarity theory. As an alternative approach to assortative mating, we suppose that imprinting-like mechanisms, rather than “direct” genetic detection, are responsible for choosing similar spouses. In a study aimed at comparing more than 300 facial photographs of family members and controls, the judges correctly matched wives to their mother-in-law at a significantly higher rate than expected by chance. Furthermore, a higher degree of similarity was ascribed between the husbands’ mother and the husbands’ wife than between the husbands and their wives. A regression analysis has revealed that men who had been more frequently rejected by their mother during childhood were less likely to choose mates who resemble their mothers in physical appearance. These results suggest that under the influence of childhood experiences, sons internalize their mother’s phenotype as a template for acquiring similar mates.

Expanding the clinical spectrum of MYCN-related feingold syndrome

Feingold syndrome (OMIM#164280) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by variable combinations of microcephaly, limb malformations, esophageal and duodenal atresias, and learning disability/mental retardation. Hand and foot abnormalities may include hypoplastic thumbs, clinodactyly of second and fifth fingers, syndactyly (characteristically between second and third and fourth and fifth toes), and shortened or absent middle phalanges [Feingold et al., 1997]. Cardiac and renal malformations, vertebral anomalies, and deafness have also been described in a minority of patients [Kellermayer et al., 2005]. As a result of the versatile clinical picture, this entity has also been reported as oculo-duodeno-esophageal-digital (ODED) syndrome, microcephaly-oculo-digitoesophageal-duodenal syndrome, and microcephalymesobrachyphalangy-tracheoesophageal-fistula (MMT) syndrome. However, some of the variable features of Feingold syndrome are included in ‘‘microcephalydigital abnormalities-normal intelligence’’ (MIM#602585), described as an independent, distinct condition [Kawame et al., 1997]. The critical region of Feingold syndrome was mapped to chromosome 2p23-p24 [Celli et al., 2003] and a recent article revealed MYCN (2p24.1), as a causative gene in this genetic entity [van Bokhoven et al., 2005]. These findings indicated that MYCN dosage is an important factor in early embryonic development andpostnatal brain growth. Indeed, studies in human fetal brain and mice suggest that MYCN is involved in embryonic limb, visceral organ, and nervous system development [Hirvonen et al., 1990; Moens et al., 1992; Stanton et al., 1992]. Here, we report on a family—expressing variable features of Feingold syndrome—who carry a novel mutation of MYCN. The boy with classical features of the syndrome and his mother and maternal grandmother, only possessing the clinical phenotype of ‘‘microcephaly-digital abnormalitiesnormal intelligence’’ disorder also carry the same pathogenic mutation. The 4-year-old boy was born as a first child from non-consanguineous parents. The pregnancy was complicated by maternal nephropathy. He was deliveredvaginally at 39weekswithApgars 4 and8 at 1 and 5 min, birth weight 3,300 g. Esophageal atresia (Vogt III/B type) was detected shortly after birth and was repaired surgically. Cranial ultrasound showed subependymal hemorrhage. He developed seizures and has been treated with anti-epileptics since the age of 10 months. At the age of 4 he could not walk independently and his developmental quotient was 59 (Budapest-Binet). On physical examination his length was 98 cm (10–25 pc), weight 13.5 kg (5 pc), and OFC 46 cm (< 2 SD). Microcephaly and scaphocephaly, epicanthal folds, down-slanting palpebral fissures, relatively large ears, bulbous nasal tip, and dental malocclusion could be observed (Fig. 1). He also had clinodactyly of the fifth finger of the hands, small distal phalanges of the thumbs, mild brachydactyly on the feet, contractures of the wrist, elbow, ankle, and knee, and increased muscle tone. Bullet-shaped distal phalanges of the first finger, middle phalanx hypoplasia of the fifth finger, and

Homogamy, Personality, and Mate Choice Among Heterosexual and Homosexual Men

Several former studies have suggested that mates resemble each other in various personality traits. In the recent study Big Five Inventory was used to examine similarities and differences on fundamental dimensions of personality in heterosexual people. Additionally, we predict that homogamy also occurs in homosexual people, which was based on the recent evidence that gay mens mate preferences are hardly distinguishable from those of heterosexual men. However, our hypotheses were not supported by our data. No significant correlations have been found between mates in personality traits in neither heterosexuals, nor homosexuals. At the same time, an interesting result - more exactly, a lack of a significant relationship - was found: compared to heterosexuals, homosexuals, on average, did not show difference in any of the five subscales of Big Five Inventory. The measured similarities in personality traits correspond with some recent studies that concluded that homosexuals have the same set of psychological ...

α-Thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome in a 45,X male

An unbalanced Y;autosome translocation leading to a male with a 45,X karyotype is rare with about 30 published cases. A male with a 45,X karyotype as a result of a unique, submicroscopic, unbalanced Y;16 translocation is presented with α‐thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome.

THE IMPACT OF ATTACHMENT ON PRESCHOOL CHILDREN'S PREFERENCE FOR PARENT- RESEMBLING FACES - A POSSIBLE LINK TO SEXUAL IMPRINTING

One possible form of how children use parental models in their social relations would be if children showed more willingness to make friendships with peers resembling their parents. To test this possibility, composite faces created from 3 to 6 year old childrens photos were trans- formed to resemble facial images of their parents. The children were asked to show which one of the two same-sex transforms they find more appealing: the familial or the control face. Children who lived in emotional proximity to their parents, and in particular to their mothers, were at- tracted more to father-resembling faces than to unfamiliar ones. These results suggest that child- hood experiences influence face preferences. This bias may affect social decisions later in adult- hood, and could help to explain preferences for parent-resembling mates.

Vertebral defects in a patient with Feingold syndrome.

Feingold syndrome, or oculo-digito-esophago-duodenal (ODED) syndrome (MIM #164280) is characterized by autosomal dominant inheritance of microcephaly and limb malformations frequently associated with oesophageal or duodenal atresia (Feingold et al., 1997). The gene for this disorder maps to 2p23–p24 (Celli et al., 2003) and during the revision of this manuscript, an article revealed haploinsufficiency of the gene MYCN, located in 2p23– p24, in several patients with Feingold syndrome (van Bokhoven et al., 2005). Here we report on a child who, in addition to the characteristic microcephaly and limb malformations of ODED syndrome, also had vertebral anomalies.