Two pericentric inversions, inv(2)(p11q13) and inv(5)(p13q13), in a patient referred for psychiatric problems

Two pericentric inversions were found in the karyotype of a male patient referred for psychiatric problems. Cytogenetic analysis, using conventional Giemsa staining and G and C banding techniques, revealed a pericentric inversion in chromosome 2, inv(2)(p11q13), and chromosome 5, inv(5)(p13q13) (fig 1). Subsequent family studies showed that the proband's father carried both inversions also (fig 2), while other members were found to be carriers of either the inverted 2 or the inverted 5. To our knowledge, this is the first report of two pericentric inversions to be found in the human genome.