Evidence mapPaperPMID 29659830Full record

SynthesisHuman molecular genetics2018

Genome-wide association study identifies nine novel loci for 2D:4D finger ratio, a putative retrospective biomarker of testosterone exposure in utero.

Nicole M Warrington, Enisa Shevroja, Gibran Hemani, Pirro G Hysi, Yunxuan Jiang, Adam Auton, Cindy G Boer, Massimo Mangino, Carol A Wang, John P Kemp and 21 more

Open access · hybridAbstract readMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Human molecular genetics, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
3.3field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

19 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 48 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Digit ratio (2D:4D) in relation to substance and computer use: a meta-analysis.Journal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996) · 2019
    Pooled it
  4. Trial
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Associations Between Cytochrome P450 (CYP) Gene Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Second-to-Fourth Digit Ratio in Chinese University Students.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2021
    Article
  11. Article
  12. The evolutionary biology of endometriosis.Evolution, medicine, and public health · 2021
    Review
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

31 authors at 12 institutions in 4 countries.

Nicole M WarringtonThe University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia.
Enisa ShevrojaThe Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, South Holland, The Netherlands.
Gibran HemaniMRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK.
Pirro G HysiDepartment of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London SE1 7EH, UK.
Yunxuan Jiang23andMe, Inc., Mountain View, CA 94061, USA.
Adam Auton23andMe, Inc., Mountain View, CA 94061, USA.
Cindy G BoerDepartment of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Massimo ManginoDepartment of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London SE1 7EH, UK.
Carol A WangDivision of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.
John P KempThe University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia.
George McMahonMRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK.
Carolina Medina-GomezThe Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, South Holland, The Netherlands.
Martha HickeyDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne and the Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia.
Katerina TrajanoskaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Dieter WolkeDepartment of Psychology and Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV47AL, UK.
M Arfan IkramDepartment of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
23andMe Research Team
Grant W MontgomeryQueensland Brain Institute and Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
Janine F FelixThe Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, South Holland, The Netherlands.
Margaret J WrightQueensland Brain Institute and Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
David A MackeyLions Eye Institute, Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.
Vincent W JaddoeThe Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, South Holland, The Netherlands.
Nicholas G MartinQueensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia.
Joyce Y Tung23andMe, Inc., Mountain View, CA 94061, USA.
George Davey SmithMRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK.
Craig E PennellDivision of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.
Tim D SpectorDepartment of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London SE1 7EH, UK.
Joyce van MeursThe Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, South Holland, The Netherlands.
Fernando RivadeneiraThe Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, South Holland, The Netherlands.
Sarah E MedlandQueensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia.
David M EvansThe University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia.
Erasmus MC · NL23andMe (United States) · USKing's College London · GBUniversity of Bristol · GBQIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute · AUTranslational Research Institute · AUUniversity of Newcastle Australia · AUUniversity of Western Australia · AUQueensland Eye Institute · AURoyal Women's Hospital · AUUniversity of Queensland · AUUniversity of Warwick · GB

Funding

Medical Research Council G0500953Medical Research Council MC_UU_00011/1Medical Research Council MC_UU_12013/4Wellcome Trust 102215/2/13/2Wellcome Trust 105022/Z/14/ZWellcome Trust 208806/Z/17/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The ratio of the length of the index finger to that of the ring finger (2D:4D) is sexually dimorphic and is commonly used as a non-invasive biomarker of prenatal androgen exposure. Most association studies of 2D:4D ratio with a diverse range of sex-specific traits have typically involved small sample sizes and have been difficult to replicate, raising questions around the utility and precise meaning of the measure. In the largest genome-wide association meta-analysis of 2D:4D ratio to date (N = 15 661, with replication N = 75 821), we identified 11 loci (9 novel) explaining 3.8% of the variance in mean 2D:4D ratio. We also found weak evidence for association (β = 0.06; P = 0.02) between 2D:4D ratio and sensitivity to testosterone [length of the CAG microsatellite repeat in the androgen receptor (AR) gene] in females only. Furthermore, genetic variants associated with (adult) testosterone levels and/or sex hormone-binding globulin were not associated with 2D:4D ratio in our sample. Although we were unable to find strong evidence from our genetic study to support the hypothesis that 2D:4D ratio is a direct biomarker of prenatal exposure to androgens in healthy individuals, our findings do not explicitly exclude this possibility, and pathways involving testosterone may become apparent as the size of the discovery sample increases further. Our findings provide new insight into the underlying biology shaping 2D:4D variation in the general population.

Indexed as

Genome-Wide Association StudyAdultAndrogensBiomarkersFemaleFingersGenetic VariationHumansMalePregnancyRetrospective StudiesSex CharacteristicsTestosteroneAndrogensBiomarkersTestosterone

Identifiers

PMID29659830
PMCPMC5961159
OpenAlexW2800482692

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.