ABSTRACT
Background: Dermatoglyphics is the study of quantitative and qualitative patterns of ridges in palms and soles.It is being investigated in diseases having genetic basis. The recent evidence from adoption studies has provideda basis for the genetic contributions in schizophrenia. The present conducted to study the finger and palmardermatoglyphic patterns in schizophrenics and to compare dermatoglyphic configurations of schizophrenicswith the normal population.Materials and Methods: The ink and pad method was followed to take finger and the palm prints. The palmarprints of 50 schizophrenic patients and 50 normal individuals of both the sexes were collected for the study.Results: There is statistically significant decrease in frequency of arches in schizophrenics when compared tocontrols, whereas frequency distribution of radial loops, ulnar loops and whorls are not significant. Increase inI4 interdigital pattern is statistically significant in schizophrenics when compared to controls. There is increasein the mean values of total finger ridge count in male, female and combined series of male and femaleschizophrenics and decrease in absolute finger ridge count in male and combined series of male and femaleschizophrenics, while there is decrease in female schizophrenics, when compared to controls. Atd angle isdecreased in both the hands of male schizophrenics and right hand of female schizophrenics as compared tocontrols, whereas it is equal in the left hand of schizophrenics and controls. There is increase in the mean ridgecount in III, IV and V digits in the right hand of male schizophrenics.Conclusion: There are significant differences in the schizophrenics in various dermatoglyphic features, whencompared to controls. Hence it is possible to identify the ‘at risk’ population with the help of dermatoglyphics.