Hand parameter differences between psychiatric patients and normal controls: A preliminary evaluation

The basic assumption of this study was that it is possible to identify unus ual hand features in the hands of unusual populations, and that a combinati on of certain unusual hand features can be associated with mental illness. One hundred and seventeen people were studied in two groups: 63 mental pati ents (40 males, 23 females) hospitalized in the Abarbanel Hospital, Israel, and a control group of 54 people (27 males, 27 females). Twelve hand param eters were studied, and 11 of them were found to be significantly different . Out of them, 7 show the significant result of p<0.001. The results of thi s study suggest that the features of the hand may be considered as a part o f the phenomenon of minor physical anomalies which are apparently neurodeve lopmental markers. It suggests also the desirability of further research in this area.