Fingers as a marker of prenatal androgen exposure.
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.
Berenbaum
Sheri A
SA
Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, 519 Moore, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA. sab31@psu.edu
Bryk
Kristina Korman
KK
Nowak
Nicole
N
Quigley
Charmian A
CA
Moffat
Scott
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D013734:Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism; D000728:Androgens / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018812:Paternal Exposure; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D055815:Young Adult
D000728:Androgens; D015415:Biomarkers