- Hand Reading Mini-Course -

---

Page 16

Hand Diagnostics & Psychiatry:

schizophrenia, dermatoglyphics, fingerprint, triradius & a-b ridge count

LEVEL 1: the dermatoglyphics and schizophrenia.

The relationship between the dermatoglyphcs of the hands and schizophrenia has been the major topic in over 50 scientific research studies. The most consequent research results indicate that the following 4 aspects of the dermatoglyphics are most relevant in this matter:

1 - a high number of whorls on the tips of the fingers
2 - a relatively low number of dermal ridges between the a-triradius and the b-triradius
3 - variations between the right- and left hand
4 - broken dermal ridges.

Figure C-1: the most important fingerprint patterns.

Ad 1: a high number of whorls on the tips of the fingers.

The results of various studies indicate that schizophrenia is frequently accompagnied with whorls on the tips of the fingers (or other complex dermatoglyphic patterns, e.g.: a double loop)^1-3. This is also indicated by a high 'total finger ridge count' (TFRC).

However, the relationship between fingerprint patterns and schizophrenia is probably also related to a situation where all fingers have the same dermatoglyphic pattern. In a study executed by Charlotte Wolff in the hands of 11 subjects within a sample of 245 schizophrenics (= 4.5%), all 10 fingertips had an arch fingerprint pattern. Normally the combination of 10 arches (on all fingers) is observed in about 1 out of 500 subjects.

Ad 2: a relatively low number of dermal ridges between the a-triradius and the b-triradius.

Another interesting phenomenon concerns the number of dermal ridges between the a-triradius (= the palmar triradius below the index finger) and the b-triradius (= the palmar triradius below the middle finger): see figure C-2 on the next page. In the hands of schizophrenics this so-called 'a-b ridge count' (ABRC) appears to be low frequently^4-6. By the way, the preceeding paragraph described that a low 'a-b ridge count' is usually accompagnied with a horizontal progression of the A-line: see figure B-2C on page 7 of this course.

Sources:

1 - Maricq, H.R. (1979). Fingerprint pattern frequencies in schizophrenics. Importance of ethnic origin and plexus visualization score ratings. Human Heredity, 29 (5), p.314-319.
2 - Varma, S.L. (1995). Dermatoglyphic patterns in schizophrenics. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavia, 91, p.213-215.
3 - Sivkov, S. & Akabaliev, V. (1998). Dermatoglyphics in schizophrenia: quantitative aspects. Folia. Med. (Plovdiv), 40 (3), p.44-50.
4 - Fananas, L. et al. (1996) Dermatoglyphic a-b ridge count as a possible marker for developmental disturbance in schizophrenia: replication in two sample. Schizophrenia Research, 20, p.307-314.
5 - Fearon, P. et al. (2001). Is reduced dermatoglyphic a-b ridge count a reliable marker of developmental impairment in schizophrenia? Schizophrenia Research, 50, p.151-157.
6 - Davis, J.O. & Bracha, H.S. (1996). Prenatal growth markers in schizophrenia: a monozygotic co-twin control study. American Journal of Psychiatry, Sep; 153 (9), p.1166-1172.

Page 16

---

A brand new masterclass in scientific hand reading is also available here:

Decoding The Language of The Hand:
how to find 36 conditions with just 54 major hand signs!