Publication details
The Correlations between Handgrip Strength and Several Psychosomatic Features in Homo sapiens – a review
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2013 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Anthropologia integra – Časopis pro obecnou antropologii a příbuzné obory |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | http://anthrop.sci.muni.cz/UserFiles/File/AI/AI_4_2013_2/AI_4_2013_2_Cele_cislo_web.pdf |
| Field | Archaeology, anthropology, ethnology |
| Keywords | testosterone; handgrip strength; aggression; sexual behavior |
| Description | Handgrip strength (HGS) is a very good marker of physical health, good muscle performance and an overall indicator of health status and vitality. Testosterone, as a hormone primarily responsible for secondary sexual traits development, is also strongly correlated to body strength and somatic features which represent it. It has been widely reported that testosterone correlates with aggression. However, the pathway of testosterone metabolites in specific brain regions, or cause and effect formula of testosterone level and aggression has not been satisfactorily explained. Several possible and/or partial explanations based on published experiments are discussed. Furthermore, the relation between HGS and human sexual behavior is discussed – the sexual dimorphism in HGS, the perception of male HGS by females at differ- ent stages of the menstrual cycle and the selection of a partner with respect to his fitness (as estimated by HGS which is a good indicator of testosterone level). |