scholarly journals Investigating the reliability and sex differences of digit lengths, ratios, and hand measures in infants

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luisa Ernsten ◽  
Lisa M. Körner ◽  
Martin Heil ◽  
Gareth Richards ◽  
Nora K. Schaal
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Measurement Techniques ◽  
Directional Asymmetry ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Digit Ratios ◽  
Androgen Exposure ◽  
Prenatal Androgen Exposure ◽  
Test Retest Reliability ◽  
Prenatal Androgen

AbstractHands and digits tend to be sexually dimorphic and may reflect prenatal androgen exposure. In the past years, the literature introduced several hand and digit measures, but there is a lack of studies in prepubertal cohorts. The available literature reports more heterogeneous findings in prepubertal compared to postpubertal cohorts. The comparability of the available studies is further limited by the study design and different measurement techniques. The present study compared the reliability and sex differences of available hand and digit measures, namely digit lengths of 2D, 3D, 4D, 5D, digit ratios 2D:4D, 2D:5D, 3D:4D, 3D:5D, 4D:5D, relative digit lengths rel2, rel3, rel4, rel5, directional asymmetry of right and left 2D:4D (Dr-l), hand width, length, and index of 399 male and 364 female 6-month-old German infants within one study using only indirect and computer-assisted measurements. The inter-examiner reliability was excellent while the test-retest reliability of hand scans was only moderate to high. Boys exhibited longer digits as well as wider and longer hands than girls, but smaller digit ratios, with ratios comprising the fifth digit revealing the largest effect sizes. Other hand and digit ratios revealed sex differences to some extent. The findings promote the assumption of sexual dimorphic hand and digit measures. However, by comparing the results of the available literature, there remains an uncertainty regarding the underlying hypothesis. Specifically in prepubertal cohorts, i.e. before the influence of fluctuating hormones, significant effects should be expected. It seems like other factors than the influence of prenatal androgens contribute to the sexual dimorphism in hand and digit lengths.

scholarly journals Fingers as a Marker of Prenatal Androgen Exposure

Endocrinology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 150 (11) ◽  
pp. 5119-5124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheri A. Berenbaum ◽  
Kristina Korman Bryk ◽  
Nicole Nowak ◽  
Charmian A. Quigley ◽  
Scott Moffat
Keyword(s):  
Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome ◽  
Digit Ratio ◽  
Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome ◽  
Good Marker ◽  
Digit Ratios ◽  
Androgen Exposure ◽  
Prenatal Androgen Exposure ◽  
Hormone Exposure ◽  
Biological Substrates ◽  
Prenatal Androgen

Interest in biological substrates of sex-related variations in psychological and physiological characteristics has led to a search for biomarkers of prenatal hormone exposure that can be measured postnatally. There has been particular interest in digit ratio, the relative lengths of the second and fourth fingers (2D:4D), but its validity as a measure of prenatal androgen has not been established. We report the strongest evaluation of the value of 2D:4D as a biomarker for early androgen exposure. Individuals with 46,XY karyotype but no effective prenatal androgen exposure due to complete androgen insensitivity syndrome had digit ratios that were feminized: they were higher than those of typical men and similar to those of typical women. Nevertheless, the effect was modest in size, and there was considerable within-group variability and between-group overlap, indicating that digit ratio is not a good marker of individual differences in prenatal androgen exposure.

scholarly journals Handgrip strength and 2D : 4D in women: homogeneous samples challenge the (apparent) gender paradox

2021 ◽  
Vol 288 (1964) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nora Bäck ◽  
Katrin Schaefer ◽  
Sonja Windhager
Keyword(s):  
Handgrip Strength ◽  
Body Height ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Detection Sensitivity ◽  
Left Hand ◽  
Digit Ratios ◽  
Androgen Exposure ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Prenatal Androgen Exposure ◽  
Prenatal Androgen

The length ratio between the second and the fourth digit (2D : 4D) is a retrospective, non-invasive biomarker for prenatal androgen exposure. It was found to be negatively correlated with handgrip strength (HGS) in men, but the evidence for women is mixed. Such studies in women call for increased detection sensitivity. The present study was designed to reduce potential confounding factors, especially age and ethnicity variation. We measured the digit ratios and HGS of 125 healthy women between 19 and 31 years of age from a remote region in Austria. 2D : 4D of both hands was significantly and negatively correlated with HGS ( n = 125, right hand: r = –0.255, p = 0.002, left hand: r = –0.206, p = 0.011). Size, direction and significance of correlation coefficients remained stable when statistically controlling for age, body weight, body height, body mass index or hours of exercise per week. This yields theory-consistent evidence that HGS and 2D : 4D are clearly associated in women—when sufficiently reducing genetic variation (confounding 2D : 4D), the ontogenetic environment and age ranges (confounding HGS) in the study population. This finding implies similar organizing effects of prenatal androgens as in men, pointing to a more parsimonious developmental mechanism and a new look into its proximate and ultimate causes.

scholarly journals Stability of proposed biomarkers of prenatal androgen exposure over the menstrual cycle

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. S. Barrett ◽  
L. E. Parlett ◽  
S. H. Swan
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
In Utero ◽  
Reproductive Hormones ◽  
Developmental Trajectory ◽  
Adult Women ◽  
Digit Ratios ◽  
Androgen Exposure ◽  
Prenatal Androgen Exposure ◽  
Hormonal Milieu ◽  
Prenatal Androgen

The prenatal hormonal milieu is widely believed to shape health later in life; however, there are considerable methodological challenges associated with measuring the in utero hormonal environment. Two potential biomarkers of prenatal androgen exposure that can be measured postnatally have been proposed: anogenital distance (AGD) and the ratio of the second to fourth digits of the hand (2D:4D). Although both measures are widely used research tools, their use in adult women may be complicated by the dramatic fluctuations in reproductive hormones across the menstrual cycle. To determine whether there is cyclical variation in these biomarkers, we conducted a longitudinal study of 12 naturally cycling, nulliparous adult women. Trained examiners assessed two measures of AGD [anus to clitoris (AGD-AC) and anus to fourchette (AGD-AF)] and 2D:4D in both hands for the duration of three menstrual cycles, taking measurements during the follicular, peri-ovulatory and luteal phases of each cycle. Despite the small sample size, longer (more masculine) AGD was associated with lower (more masculine) digit ratios, as predicted by the literature. Using multi-level linear regression models, we found that AGD and 2D:4D measurements did not differ significantly across cycle phases. AGD-AF and digit ratios in both hands were associated with age at menarche, suggesting a possible common developmental trajectory. These results demonstrate that AGD and 2D:4D are stable across the menstrual cycle. In addition, research is needed to determine how reliably these measures reflect the in utero hormonal milieu.

scholarly journals Clitoris to Urethral Meatus Distance is Not Affected by the Obesity Compared to the Anogenital Distance

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zheng Li ◽  
Meng-jiao Xu ◽  
Hong Xia ◽  
Huai-fang Li ◽  
Binggen Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Digital Camera ◽  
Urethral Meatus ◽  
Anogenital Distance ◽  
Digit Ratios ◽  
Bivariate Correlation ◽  
Androgen Exposure ◽  
Prenatal Androgen Exposure ◽  
Prenatal Androgen ◽  
Digital Caliper

Abstract Background The distance between clitoris and urethral meatus (CUMD) for women has been considered to likely reflect the extent of prenatal androgen exposure, being similar to the anogenital distance (AGD) and the digit length ratio. But no published work has examined the association between the CUMD and the AGD or digit ratio and the effect of body weight on CUMD and AGD.Methods The CUMD and AGD (including AGD-AC, from the anus to the anterior clitoris; AGD-AF, from the anus to the posterior fourchette) measurements for 117 women (18-45 years) were taken using a digital caliper, and the digit ratios were measured from photos by a digital camera. Meanwhile, data of their height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) were collected at same time. Results In bivariate correlation analyses of all 117 subjects, two AGD measurements (AGD-AC and AGD-AF) were moderately correlated with one another (r=0.474, p<0.001), but the correlation between AGD-AC and CUMD was weak (r=0.172, p=0.063). Both AGD-AC and AGD-AF were notably correlated with weight (r=0.290, p=0.002 and r=0.189, p=0.041; respectively) and BMI (r=0.341, p<0.001 and r=0.204, p=0.027; respectively), whereas the CUMD was not affected by weight or BMI. Exclusion of obese individuals, the CUMD of 86 non-overweight subjects was obviously correlated with the AGD-AC (r=0.236, p=0.028). Conclusion These results indicated that the CUMD could be a marker of prenatal androgen exposure without influence of body weight, superior to AGD-AC or AGD-AF.

Exploration of alternative digit ratios as a predictor of prostate cancer aggressiveness.

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (4_suppl) ◽  
pp. 231-231
Author(s):  
Michael Stolten ◽  
Elisa Ledet ◽  
Aryeneesh Dotiwala ◽  
Eric Luk ◽  
A. Oliver Sartor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Digit Ratio ◽  
Finger Length ◽  
Digit Ratios ◽  
Androgen Exposure ◽  
Cancer Aggressiveness ◽  
Prenatal Androgen Exposure ◽  
Prenatal Androgen ◽  
Androgen Levels

231 Background: During gestation, development of the prostate is dependent on a functional androgen receptor and the presence of dihydrotestosterone. Prenatal androgen exposure has been correlated with a range of diseases including prostate cancer (PCa). Historically, the ratio of the second to the fourth digit (2D:4D) has been linked to prenatal androgen levels; however, the use of alternate finger ratios have been shown to be a greater indicator of prenatal androgen exposure compared to the traditional 2D:4D ratio. Studies have shown that the distal fingertip extent of the second digit (2T:2D) was also associated with prenatal androgens. This study aims to use alternative digit ratio measurements to determine aggressiveness of PCa. Our hypothesis is that alternative digit ratios are more sensitive to prenatal androgen levels, and a better predictor of disease than the traditional 2D:4D ratio. Methods: Digital measurements were made from hand scans of PCa patients. All fingers on the right hand were measured from the basal crease to the fingertip as well as the distal fingertip extent of the second digit. Race, family history (FH) (first degree relatives with PCa), and age at diagnosis were recorded. These clinical covariates were then compared to the finger length ratios which were dichotomized based on the median values and analyzed for possible correlations. Results: Hand measurements were taken on 350 Caucasian (CA) and 100 African American (AA) PCa patients. AA men were more likely to have a smaller 2D:3D (P < 0.0001) and 2D:4D digit ratio (P < 0.0001), and larger 3D:5D (P = 0.0002) and 4D:5D (P = 0.0125) when compared to CA men. AA men with a smaller 2T:2D ratio were younger at the time of diagnosis (P = 0.0446). Additionally, AA men with a larger 2D:5D ratio were more likely to have a FH of PCa (P= 0.0238). Conclusions: Alternative finger length ratios show strong differences between AA and CA men. In AA men, alternative digit ratios are associated with age of PCa diagnosis and FH of PCa. These hypothesis generating results require validation in a larger cohort, but may provide insight to the underlying racial disparity observed in PCa. Finger length may represent a unique, non-invasive predictor of PCa, specifically age of onset and FH in AA men.

Finger, Sex, and Side Differences in Fingertip Size and Lack of Association with Image-Based Digit Ratio (2D:4D) Measurements

2008 ◽  
Vol 107 (2) ◽  
pp. 507-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Voracek ◽  
Jakob Pietschnig ◽  
Michael Oeckher
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Digit Ratio ◽  
Fourth Digit ◽  
Androgen Exposure ◽  
Direct Measurements ◽  
Measurement Protocol ◽  
Prenatal Androgen Exposure ◽  
The Right ◽  
Putative Marker ◽  
Prenatal Androgen

Different methods for measuring the second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D), a putative marker for prenatal androgen exposure, may lead to varying values of 2D:4D. Specifically, it has been hypothesized that fingertip fat pads may be differentially deformed when taking palm images (photocopies or flatbed scans), but not when fingers are measured directly, thus yielding lower 2D:4D values from image-based measurements rather than direct ones. A measurement protocol for fingertip size is unavailable, as are data on finger and sex differences in this trait. Introducing such a protocol, this study found very large finger differences in adult fingertip size (largest for 4D, smaller for 3D and 5D, smallest for 2D), large side differences (larger in the left than in the right hand of right-handed subjects), but only small and not significant sex differences. Fingertip size was unrelated to image-based 2D:4D measurements, suggesting that fingertip size and the extent of finger and sex differences therein are unlikely to explain discrepant 2D:4D values obtained from image-based versus direct measurements.

Male infants with hypospadias and/or cryptorchidism show a lower 2D/4D digit ratio than normal boys

2015 ◽  
Vol 100 (7) ◽  
pp. 643-647 ◽  
Author(s):  
O Abbo ◽  
C Ferdynus ◽  
N Kalfa ◽  
L Huiart ◽  
F Sauvat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ring Finger ◽  
External Genitalia ◽  
Digit Ratio ◽  
Intraobserver Variability ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Androgen Exposure ◽  
Prenatal Androgen Exposure ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Male External Genitalia ◽  
Prenatal Androgen

BackgroundIn humans the ratio of the index finger to the ring finger is sexually dimorphic, with the mean ratio being larger in women than in men. It has been suggested that this difference is related to prenatal androgen exposure. This has been further demonstrated in children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Normal development of the male external genitalia is linked to androgen-mediated events during gestation. We therefore wanted to determine if the 2D:4D digit ratio was normal in boys with cryptorchidism or hypospadias.MethodsWe prospectively enrolled all prepubertal patients seen in the outpatient clinic for cryptorchidism or hypospadias between September and December 2012. We then compared their 2D:4D digit ratio with two control groups made up of normal boys and normal girls. Interobserver and intraobserver variability was evaluated.ResultsWe included 57 boys with hypospadias and/or cryptorchidism, 79 boys without genital abnormalities and 25 girls without genital abnormalities. The mean 2D:4D ratio for both hands was significantly different between the three groups, with the digit ratio for boys with genital anomalies being lower than for normal boys and normal girls (p<0.0001).ConclusionsIt appears that boys with genital abnormalities (cryptorchidism and/or hypospadias) have a lower 2D:4D digit ratio than boys without genital anomalies.

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