Digito-palmar dermatoglyphics: variations and prediction of brain disorders

Abstract

Digito-palmar dermatoglyphics is the scientific study of the morphology of the skin ridges on the palms and finger pads (Figure 1 & 2). They could be visualised by methods like vacuum metal deposition and cyanoacrylate fuming method,1 carbon paper and tape method ,2 scanner method3 and inked roll method.4 Sexual dimorphism and ethnic variations of digito-palmar dermatoglyphics have been extensively reported in the literature. Higher values of finger, palm and interdigital ridge counts were assessed in Bulgarian males who also had higher frequency values of Hy, Th/III and Th/IV patterns.5 Sex-related variations in epidermal ridge breadth (thickness or density) on whole palms of Caucasian Spanish population were detected: females showed significantly narrower ridges and more ridge density than similarly-aged males.6 In Chuvashian population of Russia, obvious sexual dimorphism of digito-palmar dermatoglyphics was also observed.7,8 On the contrary, no significant sex-differences were detected in the dermatoglyphic patterns of the five endogamous populations of West Bengal, India.9