2017
DOI: 10.1007/s00702-017-1815-7
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Cross-national gender variations of digit ratio (2D:4D) correlate with life expectancy, suicide rate, and other causes of death

Abstract: The second-to-fourth finger length ratio (2D:4D) is an indication of prenatal sex hormone exposure, and has sex-specifically been associated with several lethal illnesses including ischemic heart disease, diverse cancers, and suicide. Our primary aim was to verify that 2D:4D sex-specifically relates to life expectancy and suicide numbers on a national level (23 countries). We also used a hypothesis-free approach to investigate associations with other causes of death [p value adjustment for multiple hypothesis … Show more

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Cited by 23 publications
(20 citation statements)
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“…This study was part of the Finger-Length in Psychiatry (FLIP) project of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of the University Hospital in Erlangen [1114,28]. The investigation was conducted according to the principles expressed in the Declaration of Helsinki, and the study was approved by the local ethics committee (Ethik-Kommission der Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, No.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…This study was part of the Finger-Length in Psychiatry (FLIP) project of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of the University Hospital in Erlangen [1114,28]. The investigation was conducted according to the principles expressed in the Declaration of Helsinki, and the study was approved by the local ethics committee (Ethik-Kommission der Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, No.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Females with a type 3 (prenatally more androgenized) finger length pattern showed significantly higher hand osteoarthritis and osseographic score (an index of biological aging) values than those with types 1 and 2. In a recent large cross‐national study (Lenz & Kornhuber, ), the authors found that lower (type 3) male finger ratio values (in relation to the mean male and female 2D:4D), were found in countries with lower life expectancies of males (in relation to the male and female mean). According to the authors, this observation supports the assumption that prenatal sex hormone priming entails long‐lasting, possibly lifelong effects on sex‐specific death risks.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Es verwundert daher nicht, dass eine hohe vorgeburtliche Testosteronlast (beim Menschen u. a. erfasst mit Biomarkern wie dem 2D : 4D-Verhältnis) mit einer ganzen Reihe von Beeinträchtigungen über die Lebensspanne assoziiert ist. Dazu zählen beispielsweise ein schlechterer allgemeiner Gesundheitszustand 33 , Verhaltensauffälligkeiten im Kindesalter 34 , aggressionsbedingte Verletzungen 35 , 36 , die Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-Hyperaktivitätsstörung 37 , Videospielsucht 38 , süchtige Nutzung sozialer Netzwerke 39 , Suizide 40 , 41 , 42 , Autismus 43 , 44 , Prostatakarzinome 45 , primäre Hirntumoren 46 sowie Binge-Drinking und Alkoholabhängigkeit 29 , 47 , 48 , 49 . Abschließend gibt es erste Hinweise darauf, dass ein kleineres 2D : 4D-Verhältnis als Surrogatmarker für eine höhere vorgeburtliche Testosteronexposition auch mit einer kürzeren Lebenserwartung assoziiert ist 41 , 49 .…”
Section: Langzeitstudien Und Pränatale Testosteronexpositionunclassified
“…It is therefore not surprising that a high antenatal testosterone load (recorded in humans using biomarkers, such as the 2D:4D ratio, among others) is associated with a whole range of impairments throughout life. These include, for example, a worse overall state of health 33 , behavioural problems in childhood 34 , aggression-induced injuries 35 , 36 , attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder 37 , video game addiction 38 , addictive use of social networks 39 , suicide 40 , 41 , 42 , autism 43 , 44 , prostate carcinoma 45 , primary brain tumours 46 as well as binge drinking and alcohol dependence 29 , 47 , 48 , 49 . Finally, there are initial indications that a smaller 2D:4D ratio as a surrogate marker for a higher antenatal testosterone exposure is also associated with a shorter life expectancy 41 , 49 .…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%