High (feminized) digit ratio (2D : 4D) in Danish men: a question of measurement method?

摘要

Sir,We read with interest the advance-access publication of Bang et al. (2005) in Human Reproduction. After review of the article, we have the following comments. The second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D : 4D) is a sexually dimorphic trait in humans: men tend to have lower 2D : 4D values than women. In late 1998, it was suggested in an article published in Human Reproduction (Manning et al, 1998) that 2D : 4D may be a useful biomarker for prenatal androgen action. This hypothesis has generated much interest since then and, as is now discernible, has started off an expanding research program. 2D : 4D has been shown to be a correlate of a suite of sex-dependent, hor-monally influenced variables, including behavioural, cognitive, personality and somatic traits, adult-onset diseases and measures related to fertility and sexuality (Manning, 2002; Putz etal, 2004; Cohen-Bendahan etal, 2005)