Studies suggest that hand pattern, particularly the measurement of ring and index fingers could help determine risks of certain diseases as well chances to excel in mathematics and literacy tests.

Index finger length and prostate cancer risk
A new study published in the British Journal of Cancer shows that the length of a man’s fingers can give clues on his risk of prostate cancer. Researchers from the University of Warwick and the Institute of Cancer found out that men with long index fingers have a significantly lower risk of developing the disease.

The researchers identified the relative lengths of the ring and index fingers in 1,500 prostate cancer patients and 3,000 healthy men. The men were shown pictures of different finger length patterns and asked to identify the one that looked most like their own right hand.

Based on the findings, men whose index fingers were longer than their ring fingers were 33 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer than men whose ring fingers were longer. In men under 60, the risk was reduced further to 87 percent.

The most common finger pattern length in the participants were longer ring fingers than index fingers. The risk of prostate cancer for this group was the same as those whose ring and index fingers bear the same length. Investigators believe that the result of their study could be helpful in selecting those who need regular screening for prostate cancer.

The genes involved in how the hand grows are also thought to be involved in the testicles’ development while in the womb. The amount of testosterone produced by the testicles of the male fetus is believed to influence the relative length of the fingers. According to the researchers, exposure to less testosterone in the womb results in a longer index finger and may also protect against prostate cancer later in life.

Short index finger and risk of osteoarthritis
In men, the index fingers are typically shorter than the ring fingers. Males with this pattern are thought to have higher sperm counts, and in women, a shorter index finger to ring finger ratio has been linked to lower estrogen concentration. For both sexes, however, this hand pattern has been found to indicate a higher risk for osteoarthritis.

A case control study published in Arthritis Rheum. 2008 assessed the relationship between the index finger to ring finger ratio and the risk of knee and hip osteoarthritis. This study was done by researchers from the University of Nottingham who recruited 2,049 patients with OA of the knees or hips, while 1,123 individuals served as controls.

The hand patterns of the participants were classified as follows:
type 1-index finger longer than the ring finger
type 2-index finger equal to the ring finger
type 3-index finger shorter than the ring finger
Based on the findings, the chances of suffering from osteoarthritis in people with the type 3 pattern is almost two-fold. Investigators also found out that the risk is greater for women who have the said pattern.

Low levels of estrogen has long been hypothesized as a risk factor for osteoarthritis, but this research was the first to examine the association between the two.

Finger lengths and academic ability
A study published in the British Journal of Psychology suggests that the relative lengths of index and ring fingers could also show how a pupil will do in math and literacy tests.

For this study, researchers from the University of Bath examined 74 children aged 6 and 7. To find out the index to ring finger ratios, photocopies of the children’s hands were taken and finger lengths were measured using a caliper. Investigators then compared index to ring finger ratio with the children’s scores on a standard U.K. test of numeracy and literacy.

Results show that those with longer ring fingers tend to excel at numbers, while children with shorter ring fingers than their index fingers did better in literacy tests than maths.

According to Dr Mark Brosnan, the lead author of this research, testosterone has been argued to promote the development of the areas of the brain which are often associated with spatial and mathematical skills. Estrogen, on the other hand, is believed to have the same influence in the areas of the brain which are often associated with verbal ability. These two hormones are also thought play a role in the in the lengths of index and ring fingers. Dr Brosnan suggested that measurements of these fingers may indicate the relative exposure to estrogen and testosterone in the womb, and they may also be used to predict ability in the key areas of numeracy and literacy.

Except for the findings on prostate cancer risk which was reported recently, the studies mentioned in this blog entry were published during the last couple of years. However, this doesn’t mean that scientists’ fascination with the human hand pattern is fairly new. The index finger to ring finger ratio alone has been a subject of interest for centuries. In fact, scientific literature dating back to the late 1800’s noted that most men have shorter index fingers than ring fingers than do women. In addition to health and academic ability, some experts believe that the digit ratio also equates with a person’s behavior and sexuality.

Research findings tend to raise further questions and at the same time strengthen theories. Considering that the genes and hormones that influence finger ratio seem to affect many aspects of well-being, we could expect more studies in the horizon. So do finger lengths show what the future holds for a person? For now the answer is in science’s hands.

References:
Baker F. Anthropological notes on the human hand. 1888. The American Anthropologist 1: 51–75. doi:10.1525/aa.1888.1.1.02a00040

Rahman, A, et al. Hand pattern indicates prostate cancer risk. 2010. British Journal of Cancer. 2010. http://www.nature.com/bjc/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/6605986a.html

Finger length may foretell academic potential http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSSPI06871820070530

University of Warwick. “Finger length points to prostate cancer risk.” ScienceDaily 1 December 2010.

Zhang w., et al. Index to ring finger length ratio and the risk of osteoarthritis. University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK. Arthritis Rheum. 2008 Jan;58(1):137-44.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18163515

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Tags: Cancer, digit ratio, estrogen, hand pattern, Hormones, testosterone

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