title: A pair of monozygotic twins discordant for homosexuality: sex-dimorphic behavior and penile volume responses.
abstract: In reports of identical twins discordant for homosexuality, the homosexual twins showed the effeminacy syndrome in childhood. This has been considered evidence that the homosexuality comes from the twin himself. The possibility that the heterosexual twin was denying homosexuality has never been excluded. A pair of identical male twins discordant for homosexuality are reported. They showed significant differences in their penile volume responses to moving pictures of male and female nudes indicative of sexual orientations consistent with their statements. The homosexual twin showed the effeminacy syndrome. Aspects of the syndrome can be induced in mammals by altering their hormonal environment during some critical period in their intrauterine development. Discordance for homosexuality in identical twins could be due to one's being exposed to a different hormonal level during such a critical period.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002652:Child Behavior; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology; D005824:Genetics, Behavioral; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007989:Libido; D008297:Male; D009040:Motion Pictures; D010413:Penis / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D014427:Twins; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones