Correlation of 2D:4D digit ratio and craniofacial shape in prepubertal children

Valla, Kalliopy; Halazonetis, Demetrios J.

doi:10.1002/ajhb.22512

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 64 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Given the methodological challenges of measuring the hormone environment in utero, human studies have typically relied upon 2D : 4D as an index of prenatal testosterone exposure. While several studies have reported a link between reduced 2D : 4D ratio ( purportedly reflecting exposure to increased levels of prenatal testosterone) and facial masculinity [31][32][33], there have been a number of notable failures to replicate these findings [45,46]. We have previously shown no association between testosterone levels in umbilical cord blood and adult 2D : 4D [21,22], and the current study found no within-sex link between 2D : 4D and the facial gender scores for either males or females.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 62%

Prenatal testosterone exposure is related to sexually dimorphic facial morphology in adulthood

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Prenatal testosterone may have a powerful masculinizing effect on postnatal physical characteristics. However, no study has directly tested this hypothesis. Here, we report a 20-year follow-up study that measured testosterone concentrations from the umbilical cord blood of 97 male and 86 female newborns, and procured three-dimensional facial images on these participants in adulthood (range: 21-24 years). Twenty-three Euclidean and geodesic distances were measured from the facial images and an algorithm identified a set of six distances that most effectively distinguished adult males from females. From these distances, a 'gender score' was calculated for each face, indicating the degree of masculinity or femininity. Higher cord testosterone levels were associated with masculinized facial features when males and females were analysed together (n ¼ 183; r ¼ 20.59), as well as when males (n ¼ 86; r ¼ 20.55) and females (n ¼ 97; r ¼ 20.48) were examined separately ( p-values , 0.001). The relationships remained significant and substantial after adjusting for potentially confounding variables. Adult circulating testosterone concentrations were available for males but showed no statistically significant relationship with gendered facial morphology (n ¼ 85, r ¼ 0.01, p ¼ 0.93). This study provides the first direct evidence of a link between prenatal testosterone exposure and human facial structure.

show abstract

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 62%

Prenatal testosterone exposure is related to sexually dimorphic facial morphology in adulthood

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Identifying craniofacial features associated with prenatal exposure to androgens and testing their relationship with brain development

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We used magnetic resonance (MR) images obtained in same-sex and opposite-sex dizygotic twins (n = 119, 8 years of age) to study possible effects of prenatal androgens on craniofacial features. Using a principal component analysis of 19 craniofacial landmarks placed on the MR images, we identified a principal component capturing craniofacial features that distinguished females with a presumed differential exposure to prenatal androgens by virtue of having a male (vs. a female) co-twin (Cohen's d = 0.76). Subsequently, we tested the possibility that this craniofacial "signature" of prenatal exposure to androgens predicts brain size, a known sexually dimorphic trait. In an independent sample of female adolescents (singletons; n = 462), we found that the facial signature predicts up to 8% of variance in brain size. These findings are consistent with the organizational effects of androgens on brain development and suggest that the facial signature derived in this study could complement other indirect measures of prenatal exposure to androgens.

show abstract

Morphometric covariation between palatal shape and skeletal pattern in children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study

Parcha

Bitsanis

Halazonetis

2016

EORTHO

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Correlation of 2D:4D digit ratio and craniofacial shape in prepubertal children

Cited by 4 publications

References 64 publications

Prenatal testosterone exposure is related to sexually dimorphic facial morphology in adulthood

Prenatal testosterone exposure is related to sexually dimorphic facial morphology in adulthood

Identifying craniofacial features associated with prenatal exposure to androgens and testing their relationship with brain development

Morphometric covariation between palatal shape and skeletal pattern in children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About