Pal’tsevoi indeks kak indicator prenatal’noi androgenizatsii i ego sviaz’ s morfologicheskimi i povedencheskimi kharakteristikami u cheloveka

Abstract

The article presents a survey of contemporary research data relevant to the use of digit ratio (2D:4D) as a marker of the influence of androgens (testosterone) and estrogens on the early embryonic development, and argues for the necessity of including this marker among the essential criteria of present-day anthropometric studies. The authors point to the need for further elaboration of methodological foundations that would take into account the already proven part that postnatal androgenization plays in the development of bones of the hand. They also argue for further research on the digit ratio in conjunction with morphological and psychological aspects of the humans as well as environmental (ecological) and sociocultural factors, and the stress factors important during the stage of early embryonic development.