Anxiety, Sex-Linked Behaviors, and Digit Ratios (2D:4D)

Abstract

The second to fourth (2D:4D) digit ratio, a sexually dimorphic, phenotypic characteristic putatively associated with perinatal androgen action, has been used to evaluate the hypothesized relation between prenatal hormonal factors and a variety of sexually dimorphic behaviors, including sexlinked psychopathology. Smaller digit ratios, suggestive of stronger perinatal androgen action, have been associated with male-linked disorders (e.g., autism), and larger digit ratios, suggestive of weaker perinatal androgen action, have been associated with female-linked disorders (e.g., depression and eating disorders). To evaluate the possible relation between digit ratio and another traditionally female-linked disorder, anxiety, 2D:4D ratios were measured in a non-clinical sample (58 men, 52 women). Participants also completed a battery of anxiety and gender role measures and performed two spatial/cognitive tasks typically showing a male advantage (mental rotation and targeting) and two tasks typically showing a female advantage (location memory and spatial working memory). Men with a more feminine pattern of sex-linked traits and behaviors (including digit ratios) reported greater anxiety. In contrast, greater anxiety in women was associated with both female-typical and male-typical traits and behaviors, and no significant association between digit ratio and anxiety was found. This pattern of results suggests that the development of anxiety is multiply determined, with contributing factors varying by sex.

High 3D:5D ratio: A possible correlate of externalizing and internalizing problems: An exploratory study

“…Further, positive correlations between the 2D:4D and internalizing problems as have been demonstrated before 14,24 were not replicated in this study. We did find that in our sample, relatively high scores were obtained on the Internalizing Broadband scale.…”

“…With respect to the association of digit ratios and internalizing problems, it was found that men with a higher 2D:4D ratio reported higher levels of anxiety 24 , and that depression in men was associated with more female-like digit ratios 14 . So far, no studies of the association between anxiety, depression, and the 3D:5D ratio have been found.…”

Digit (2D:4D) ratio is associated with muscle mass (MM) and strength (MS) in older adults: Possible effect of in utero androgen exposure

“…Lower 2D:4D is supposed to be influenced by higher prenatal testosterone (Evardone & Alexander, 2009;García-Cruz et al, 2012;Manning et al, 2004). Although recent studies revealed that 2D:4D ratio may be a simple marker of prostate cancer risk, may correlate with the incidence of infertility, autism, dyslexia, migraine, stammering, myocardial infarction and breast cancer (Evardone & Alexander, 2009;Manning & Bundred, 2000;Rahman et al, 2011), the data about the relation between 2D:4D ratio and MM and MS is insufficient and inconsistent (Fink, Thanzami, et al, 2006;van Anders, 2007). With respect to this, Fink et al have reported that young men with higher grip strength have lower 2D:4D ratios, interpreting this as evidence for organizational effects of prenatal androgens on strength (Fink, Thanzami, et al, 2006).…”

Sex differences in visual-spatial working memory: A meta-analysis

“…For example, blocks, squares, or boxes are by far the most common stimuli (Coluccia & Martello, 2004). The use of dots or circles is quite common (Duff & Hampson, 2001;Evardone & Alexander, 2009). At this point, however, it seems that whether stimulus type has an impact in terms of performance or magnitude of sex differences remains an empirical question.…”