Dermatoglyphic fluctuating asymmetry and symmetry in familial and non familial schizophrenia.

Three dermatoglyphic traits, viz; finger patterns, finger ridge counts, and palmer a-b ridge counts of 57 (M-29; F-28) and 64 (M-29; F-35). Schizophrenics with and without positive family history respectively, and 65 controls (M-30, F-35), were analysed to determine their level of fluctuating asymmetry.Uniformly higher fluctuating asymmetry was observed in the loop ridge counts of second digits of males and females of both the groups of schizophrenics. Significantly increased symmetry in the right and left loop ridge counts in the fifth digits of the family history positive female patients was noted. Barring the family history positive female schizophrenics, the rest of the patient groups manifested higher fluctuating asymmetry in their right and left whorl ridge counts of fourth digits. Family history positive patients of both sexes and female patients with negative family history displayed higher fluctuating asymmetry in the right and left palmer a-b ridge counts.