title: Low digit ratio 2D:4D in alcohol dependent patients.
abstract: The ratio of the lengths of the second and fourth finger (2D∶4D) has been described as reflecting the degree of prenatal androgen exposure in humans. 2D∶4D is smaller for males than females and is associated with traits such as left-handedness, physical aggression, attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder and a genetic polymorphism of the androgen receptor. All of these traits are known to be correlated to the vulnerability for alcohol dependency. We therefore hypothesized low 2D∶4D in patients with alcohol dependency. In the present study on 131 patients suffering from alcohol dependency and 185 healthy volunteers, we found that alcohol dependent patients had smaller 2D∶4D ratios compared to controls with preserved sexual dimorphism but with reduced right-left differences. The detection of alcohol dependency based on 2D∶4D ratios was most accurate using the right hand of males (ROC-analysis: AUC 0.725, sensitivity 0.667, specificity 0.723). These findings provide novel insights into the role of prenatal androgen exposure in the development of alcohol dependency and for the use of 2D∶4D as a possible trait marker in identifying patients with alcohol dependency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. Johannes.kornhuber@uk-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Erhard
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lenz
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sperling
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bayerlein
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Biermann
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stoessel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult