Palmar dermatoglyphics in mental retardation

Palmar dermatoglyphics has been studied in 86 mentally retarded males versus 50 normal males. The important findings in brief are as follows:

1. Frequency of patterns in descending order (all ten taken together) were ulnar loops followed by whorls, in both the groups.
2. Highly significant differences were found between the two groups in righ c-d, a-d, left a-b, a-d and vertical distance from a-d to the axial triradius, significant differences in left b-d, c-d and both distances from axial triradius to a vertical dropped proximally from triradius a.

The finding of this work has been compared with other authors. These findings give a base to classify mental retardation from the dermatoglyphic point of view, thus to help in diagnosis of the disease in newly born individuals.