ABSTRACT
To study whether it is helped or not to medical diagnosis for children with normal and abnormal chromosomes from mental retardations, author performed and analyzed patterns of fingerprints, palmar prints creases on 99 mentally retarded children with normal chromosome and 16 mentally retarded children with Down syndrome and compared with healthy control group. In patterns of fingerprint, high frequency of ulnar loop showed significantly on fifth finger in mentally retarded children, while dominant whorl showed on first and fourth fingers in control group. High frequency of finger ridge count was appeared in Down syndrome, mentally retarded with normal chromosome (MRNC) and control group in order. Total ridge count TRC) was significantly decreased in Down syndrome, MRNC compared with control group. Total triradius count was significantly decreased in Down syndrome, however, no discrimination between control group and MRNC was found. a -b ridge count was not different among the groups. atd angle was wider in Down syndrome than in control group and MRNC. Interdigital pattern was high on ulnar loop of I3 in Down syndrome, in contrast, on ulnar loop of I4 in control group. In conclusion, detailed analysis of dermatoglyphics is able to contribute to study medical diagnosis on children with mentally retarded through above data.