The ratio of 2nd to 4th digit length: a predictor of sperm numbers and concentrations of testosterone, luteinizing hormone and oestrogen

Manning, John T.; Scutt, Diane; Wilson, J.; Lewis‐Jones, D. I.

doi:10.1093/humrep/13.11.3000

Cited by 1,289 publications

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“…Men generally have lower 2D:4D ratios compared to women. This sex difference has been shown to be already present in young children (Manning et al, 1998;McIntyre et al, 2006) and even prenatally (Galis, Ten Broek, Van Dongen, & Wijnaendts, 2010;Malas et al, 2006). Furthermore, 2D:4D ratios in children at 2 years of age were significantly predicted by the ratio of testosterone to estradiol levels in amniotic fluid (Lutchmaya et al, 2004;McIntyre, 2006) and digit ratios were associated with circulating sex hormone levels in adults (Manning et al, 1998).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Click-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions in Children and Adolescents with Gender Identity Disorder

et al. 2014

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Click-evoked otoacoustic emissions (CEOAEs) are echo-like sounds that are produced by the inner ear in response to click-stimuli. CEOAEs generally have a higher amplitude in women compared to men and neonates already show a similar sex difference in CEOAEs. Weaker responses in males are proposed to originate from elevated levels of testosterone during perinatal sexual differentiation. Therefore, CEOAEs may be usedas a retrospective indicator of someone's perinatal androgen environment. Individuals diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder (GID), according to DSM-IV-TR, are characterized by a strong identification with the other gender and discomfort about their natal sex. Although the etiology of GID is far from established, itishypothesizedthat atypicallevels of sexsteroids during a critical period of sexual differentiation of the brain might play a role. In the present study, we compared CEOAEs in treatmentnaïve children and adolescents with early-onset GID (24 natal boys, 23 natal girls) and control subjects (65 boys, 62 girls). We replicated the sex difference in CEOAE response amplitude in the control group. This sex difference, however, was not present in the GID groups. Boys with GID showed stronger, more female-typical CEOAEs whereas girls with GID did not differ in emissionstrengthcomparedtocontrolgirls.Basedontheassumption that CEOAE amplitude can be seen as an index of relative androgen exposure,our results provide some evidence for the idea that boys with GID may have been exposed to lower amounts of androgen during early development in comparison to control boys.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Click-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions in Children and Adolescents with Gender Identity Disorder

et al. 2014

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“…The second to fourth digit ratio (2D:4D), the hypothesized proxy measure of perinatal androgen action (Manning et al, 1998McIntyre, 2006), was calculated by obtaining a digital scan of the participant's right hand using a Visioneer OneTouch 9220 scanner. Hand images were then printed in color using an HP deskjet 5550 printer, and printed copies were later used to measure the distance (in millimeters) from the basal crease to tip of the second and fourth fingers with digital vernier calipers.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For that reason, an alternative strategy adopted increasingly in this area of research is to correlate behaviors of interest with a putative measure of perinatal androgen action, such as the ratio of the index (2D) to ring (4D) finger. Desdicioglu, 2006;Manning, 2002;Manning, Scutt, Wilson, & Lewis-Jones, 1998). Digit ratio also varies predictably between women with typical female prenatal development and women exposed to more "masculine" prenatal hormone levels because of an endocrine disorder (congenital adrenal hyperplasia or CAH) (Brown, Hines, Fane, & Breedlove, 2002;Okten, Kalyoncu, & Yarvis, 2002; but see Buck, Williams, Hughes, & Acerini, 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Digit ratio also varies predictably between women with typical female prenatal development and women exposed to more "masculine" prenatal hormone levels because of an endocrine disorder (congenital adrenal hyperplasia or CAH) (Brown, Hines, Fane, & Breedlove, 2002;Okten, Kalyoncu, & Yarvis, 2002; but see Buck, Williams, Hughes, & Acerini, 2003). Some evidence suggests that the 2D:4D ratio is a direct correlate of prenatal sex steroid levels (Lutchmaya, Baron-Cohen, Raggatt, Knickmeyer, & Manning, 2004;Manning et al, 1998). However, a recent proposal is that digit ratios may be better described as a measure of perinatal androgen action (McIntyre, 2006), consistent with findings that smaller digit ratios are associated with androgen receptor alleles showing fewer terminal domain CAG repeats (Manning, Bundred, Newton, & Flanagan, 2003), a marker of greater androgen sensitivity (Chamberlain, Driver, & Meisfeld, 1994;Kazemi-Esfarjani, Trifiro, & Pinski, 1995).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Evardone

Alexander

2007

Arch Sex Behav

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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.

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“…[1][2][3][4] Relative finger lengths are determined before birth at around week 13 of gestation, 5 the sex difference is present in children, 4,5 and sex differences in 2D:4D are robust across a number of ethnic groups and races. 3,6,7 The sexual dimorphism in 2D:4D has been known for many years and studies now provide direct and indirect evidence for the suggestion that sex differences in 2D:4D arise from in utero concentrations of sex steroids (for a review see Manning 3 ), with 2D:4D negatively related to prenatal testosterone and positively associated with prenatal estrogen.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The 2nd–4th digit ratio (2D:4D) and neck circumference: implications for risk factors in coronary heart disease

2005

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Background:The ratio of the lengths of the 2nd and 4th digit (2D:4D) is negatively related to prenatal and adult concentrations of testosterone (T). Testosterone appears to be a protective against myocardial infarction (MI) in men as men with low 2D:4D are older at first MI than men with high 2D:4D, and men with coronary artery disease have lower T levels than men with normal angiograms. Neck circumference (NC), a simple and time-saving screening measure to identify obesity is reported to be positively correlated with the factors of the metabolic syndrome, a complex breakdown of normal physiology characterized by obesity, insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension, and is therefore likely to increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Objective: To investigate possible associations between 2D:4D ratios and NC in men and women. Research methods and procedures: 2D:4D ratios, NC, along with measures of waist and hip circumferences, body mass index (BMI), and waist-to-hip ratio was recorded from 127 men and 117 women. Results: A significant positive correlation between 2D:4D and NC and was found for men but not for women after controlling for body mass index (BMI); the higher the ratio the higher the NC. Discussion: This finding supports the suggestion of NC to serve as a predictor for increased risk for CHD as previously suggested. In addition, the present association suggests a predisposition for men towards CHD via 2D:4D as proxy to early sex-steroid exposure.

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The ratio of 2nd to 4th digit length: a predictor of sperm numbers and concentrations of testosterone, luteinizing hormone and oestrogen

Cited by 1,289 publications

References 12 publications

Click-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions in Children and Adolescents with Gender Identity Disorder

Click-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions in Children and Adolescents with Gender Identity Disorder

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

The 2nd–4th digit ratio (2D:4D) and neck circumference: implications for risk factors in coronary heart disease

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