In genetics lecture last week, the professor talked on the subject of the possibility in some males of having an extra Y chromosome. He termed these individuals as "super males" due to the addition of another Y chromosome. I had to research the topic more into depth and this is what I found.
"Super males" were first found in a prison setting. Scientists found out that most prisoners carried an extra Y chromosome, thereby giving them more anger and strength than the "normal" male. It was also thought that this extra chromosome brought about homosexuality, tallness and below average intelligence to the individual. All these observations were biased because there were still males that were not in prison, and appeared normal, amongst society. It is hard to figure out which male has an extra Y chromosome because there are no phyical abnormalities, except for the characteristics described earlier.
XXY syndrome can only happen in males exclusively. Instead of the normal 46 chromosomes, the "super male" receives 47 due to the addition of the Y. It is also not an inherited trait, but rather random in 1 to 1,000 newborn males. It is also not known to be a risk for diseases, illnesses, or shorter lifespan.
So the next time someone tells you there is a "super male" that they know, just relax. He probably just has an extra Y chromosome, and may have some of the flaws listed above.
More information can be found on
http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/xyy-syndrome-1
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