Anatomy & Physiology: Current Research
Open Access

Abstract

Indices and Main Line Terminations in Epilepsy-A Dermatoglyphic Study

Khan K, Bhandari K, Tabrez M, Srivastav RK and Ghai R

Objective: To find out an association, if any, between dermatoglyphic patterns of hands in Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy of both sexes. Introduction: Genetic etiology has been proposed for both idiopathic epilepsy and dermatoglyphics. Hence, the present study has been undertaken to find out the existence of any correlation between dermatoglyphics and Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy.

Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in the Department of Anatomy and Department of Neurology, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Swami Ram Nagar, Dehradun. Main Line Index (MLI), Furuhata’s Index, Dankmeijer’s Index and Main line (A,B,C,D) terminations were analyzed by utilizing finger and palmar prints.

Results: The present study showed a non-significant increase of MLI in right hand and non-significant decrease of MLI in left hand of cases when compared with respective hands of controls. There was an increase in Dankmeijer’s Index and a decrease in Furuhata’s Index in case group when compared with control group. Main line D was mostly confined to sectors 11, 9 and 7 in both sexes among the cases and controls. Main line C terminated quite often in sectors 9 and 7 in males and females of the case series. Main line B terminated most frequently in sectors 5'' and 7 in control and case groups. Main line A terminated most frequently in sector 5' in males and females.

Conclusion: Therefore, we can conclude and hypothesize merely by observing increase in Dankmeijer’s Index, a decrease in Furuhata’s Index and Main line C termination quite often in sectors 9 and 7 in the hand dermatoglyphics (as observed in the present study) that persons with high risk of Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy can be identified early and preventive measures can be taken against serious complications.