Adermatoglyphia

Adermatoglyphia (pronounced: ad-er-ma-to-glyph-ia) is a rare medical condition characterized by the absence of epidermal ridges on the skin, particularly on the fingers, toes, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet. This condition is also commonly referred to as "Immigration Delay Disease" due to the difficulties individuals with this condition may face when undergoing fingerprint identification processes.

Etymology

The term "Adermatoglyphia" is derived from the Greek words "a" meaning "without", "derma" meaning "skin", and "glyph" meaning "carve". Thus, the term literally translates to "without skin carving", referring to the absence of the usual ridges found on the skin.

Symptoms

The primary symptom of Adermatoglyphia is the absence of dermatoglyphs or skin ridges on the fingers, toes, palms, and soles. This can lead to difficulties in gripping objects and increased susceptibility to skin injuries. Some individuals may also experience reduced sweating (hypohidrosis) due to the lack of sweat gland openings usually found in the skin ridges.

Causes

Adermatoglyphia is caused by mutations in the SMARCAD1 gene. This gene provides instructions for making a protein that is involved in the regulation of gene activity. Mutations in this gene disrupt the normal development of skin ridges.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of Adermatoglyphia is typically made through a physical examination and the observation of the characteristic lack of skin ridges. Genetic testing can also be used to confirm the diagnosis by identifying mutations in the SMARCAD1 gene.

Treatment

There is currently no cure for Adermatoglyphia. Treatment is focused on managing the symptoms and may include the use of moisturizers to protect the skin and physical therapy to improve grip strength.

Related Terms

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Adermatoglyphia
Wikipedia's article - Adermatoglyphia

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Adermatoglyphia