Prenatal hormonal signature (2D:4D) and dental maturation in childhood: a prospective study

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dc.contributor.authorUnal, Turkan
dc.contributor.authorKizilay, Fatma Nur
dc.contributor.authorGulsen, Emine
dc.date.accessioned2026-04-04T13:35:09Z
dc.date.available2026-04-04T13:35:09Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.departmentİnönü Üniversitesi
dc.description.abstractBackground The second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D) is a stable anthropometric marker thought to reflect prenatal androgen-estrogen balance. Although 2D:4D has been linked to developmental timing, its association with dental maturation remains unclear. This study evaluated whether 2D:4D relates to dental development in children and assessed its potential as a complementary biomarker. Methods In this study, 300 healthy children (150 girls, 150 boys; 6-12 years) were enrolled. Bilateral 2D:4D was measured with digital calipers (0.01 mm accuracy). Dental age was determined from panoramic radiographs using Demirjian's method. Analyses included t-tests/ANOVA, Pearson correlations, and multiple linear regression with chronological age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and 2D:4D as covariates. Hand-specific and sex-stratified comparisons were pre-specified; multiple testing was controlled using the Benjamini-Hochberg false-discovery rate (FDR) procedure, with significance set at q < 0.05 (false discovery rate-adjusted p-value). Results Mean chronological age was 9.10 +/- 1.99 years, dental age 9.09 +/- 2.03 years, and BMI 16.51 +/- 1.89 kg/m(2). 2D:4D showed clear sex differences (higher in girls, p < 0.001). Chronological and dental ages were strongly correlated (r = 0.976, p < 0.001). In the overall sample, dental age correlated weakly with 2D:4D (right: r = 0.155, p = 0.007; left: r = 0.135, p = 0.019). Sex-stratified analyses indicated a positive but non-significant trend in girls (right: r = 0.135, p = 0.099; left: r = 0.110, p = 0.181) and no association in boys (all p > 0.05). In multivariable models, chronological age was the strongest predictor (p < 0.001); 2D:4D contributed independently (beta = 0.12-0.16, p < 0.001), while BMI was not significant. Conclusions 2D:4D shows a weak association with dental maturation at the population level. Within-sex analyses reveal a non-significant positive trend in girls and no association in boys. As a simple, non-invasive measure, 2D:4D may provide supportive information alongside radiographic methods; confirmation in larger, longitudinal, sex-specific cohorts is warranted.
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106410
dc.identifier.issn0378-3782
dc.identifier.issn1872-6232
dc.identifier.orcid0000-0001-6588-663X
dc.identifier.orcid0000-0001-5415-6084
dc.identifier.pmid41101276
dc.identifier.scopus2-s2.0-105018645250
dc.identifier.scopusqualityQ2
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106410
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/11616/109653
dc.identifier.volume211
dc.identifier.wosWOS:001600296900001
dc.identifier.wosqualityQ2
dc.indekslendigikaynakWeb of Science
dc.indekslendigikaynakScopus
dc.indekslendigikaynakPubMed
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherElsevier Ireland Ltd
dc.relation.ispartofEarly Human Development
dc.relation.publicationcategoryMakale - Uluslararası Hakemli Dergi - Kurum Öğretim Elemanı
dc.rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.snmzKA_WOS_20250329
dc.subjectEndocrine biomarkers
dc.subjectDevelopmental maturation
dc.subjectDental development
dc.subjectPrenatal hormonal exposure
dc.subject2D:4D ratio
dc.titlePrenatal hormonal signature (2D:4D) and dental maturation in childhood: a prospective study
dc.typeArticle

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