Comparative Study of Finger Tip Pattern in Epilepsy and Normal Individuals

Background: Dermatoglyphics is the study of quantitative and qualitative patterns of ridge in palms and soles. it includes study of finger tip pattern. It is being investigated in disease having genetic bases. The recent evidence from adoption studies has provided a bases for the genetic contribution in generalized tonic clonic seizures. Objectives: To study the finger tip patterns in generalized tonic clonic seizure patients. To compare finger tip patterns of cases with the normal populations. Methods: The ink method was followed to take finger prints. The prints of 50 epileptic patients and 50 normal individuals of both sexes were collected for the study. Results: There is statistically significant decrease in frequency of arches and ulnar loops in Epileptics, whereas frequency distribution of whorl patterns and radial loops is considerably increased in epileptics when compared to normal. Conclusion: There is significant difference in epileptic patients in finger tip patterns when compared to controls. Hence it is possible to identify at risk population with the help of finger tip pattern.