Genes, Chromosomes, and Disease: From Simple Traits, to Complex Traits, to Personalized Medicine

6. Genes and behavior

In 1978, a woman stopped by the office of Han Brunner, who was studying for his MD at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, to discuss a problem that was concerning her.¹ It seemed that many of the men in her family were prone to violent outbursts. Brunner wondered why, but before he investigated further, he had to obtain his medical degree. Following that, Brunner obtained a PhD at Nijmegen University, where he found and characterized the gene for myotonic dystrophy for his dissertation research. But he also continued his research on the violent relatives of the woman he had met in 1978.

Finally, in 1993, Brunner and his colleagues reported their findings on the Dutch family.² Fortunately for them, it so happened ...