Dermatoglyphic characteristics in panic disorder

Abstract

Objectives: Panic disorder is one of the most common anxiety disorders. There are various etiological factors in panic disorder. Dermatoglyphics are special patterns formed by epidermal ridges in fingertips, palms and soles. They form during the intrauterine period and remain unchanged throughout life. Genetic diseases can change the form and structure of dermatoglyphics. The aim of this study was to evaluate fingertip and palmar dermatoglyphic samples of panic disorder patients and to compare these with the control group. Materials and methods: Dermatoglyphic data was collected from 50 patients diagnosed with panic disorder according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria and from a control group consisting of 50 healthy people. Data was collected using a digital scanner and was transferred to computer medium. Using the Image J program, atd, dat, adt angles, a-b ridge counts, sample types of all fingers and ridge counts were calculated. Data was analyzed using t-test, Mann Whitney U and chi-square tests. Findings: It was found that the a-b ridge count in both hands and the ridge count in the thumbs of panic disorder patients were significantly higher those of the control group. It was found that, in the right hands of panic disorder patients, there was a significant increase in ridge counts in the ring finger, total ridge count and adt angle when compared to the control group. However, there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of dermal ridges, and the most common characteristic in both groups was ulnar loops. Results: Analyzing dermatoglyphics is non-invasive, straightforward, quick and economical. The use of dermatoglyphics can facilitate identification and early diagnosis of those at risk of panic disorder, allowing preventive measures to be taken.