Is digit ratio (2D:4D) an indicator for patients with epilepsy?

• Main Authors: Gülsüm Akdeniz, Orhan Deniz, Gönül Vural, Şadiye Gümüşyayla, Hesna Bektaş
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Modestum Publishing LTD 2018-06-01
• Series: Journal of Clinical and Experimental Investigations
• Subjects: Digit ratio; 2D:4D; Edinburg handedness test; epilepsy; hand
• Online Access: http://www.jceionline.org/download/is-digit-ratio-2d4d-an-indicator-for-patients-with-epilepsy-3825.pdf

<b><i>Objective: </i></b>The aim of the study was to investigate the possible association between the 2D:4D ratio and epilepsy in male and female adults, and to compare the ratios of epilepsy patients and healthy control subjects.<br /> <b><i>Patients and Methods: </i></b>A case-control study carried out at a neurology and biophyiscs department in Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Faculty of Medicine from May 2016 to January 2017. The 2D:4D ratios of both the left and right hands of 172 epilepsy patients and 202 matched healthy controls were recorded. All participants also completed the Edinburgh handedness inventory.<br /> <b><i>Results: </i></b>A significant positive correlation between the 2D:4D ratio and epilepsy was found for both females and males; a lower ratio for the left hand was associated with a higher possibility of epilepsy. In addition, a lower ratio in a specific hand was associated with that hand being used to complete the handedness test.<br /> <b><i>Conclusions: </i></b>The 2D:4D ratio serves as a predictor for increased risk of epilepsy. Thus, it could be used as a marker to differentiate patients with epilepsy from healthy controls.