Turner Syndrome Dermatoglyphics: A Principal Components Analysis

This thesis investigates the general hypothesis that developmental stress resulting from monosomy of the X chromosome will result in changes in the dermal ridge system of the fingers and palms. The specific hypotheses proposed are that when contrasting Turner syndrome females to controls of both sexes the results will be that Turners will exhibit increased total variance in ridge counts, increased directional asymmetry, changes in growth gradients, and deviations in lateralization.

Using principal components analysis for the fingers and palms, Turners were found to exhibit increased total variance, an increased directional asymmetry on the fingers and a deviation from the normal pattern in lateralization. Differences in growth gradients were not discernible. It appears that the radial and ulnar sides of the fingers are under the control of different maturational gradients.