morphological and dermatoglyphic features of the hand & hpd

Is anyone familiar with Arnold Holtzman's claim that morphological and dermatoglyphic features of the hand enables one to diagnose varius psychological disorders/personality disorders incl. hpds.
Until a year ago he had a webpage where he was pointing to features of the hands of the hpds. This page (re: hpd) does not exist anymore. Yet he has a book out there (which I haven't bought yet), and there he also deals with the hpd and hands.
I understand that the established psychiatry does not endorse him, but there may be some truth to what he's saying. I remember looking at the hands of my hpd after having looked at his webpage 2 years ago. Her hands were almost identical with the picture he had there. (mainly coarse texture of the palms and fingers, and rather man-like fingers which seemed as if they were slightly disfigured.
I wonder if others made the same observation.
His current web page is :http://www.pdc.co.il/
I'm attaching a few paragraphs from his web site re: his argument. Since he is controversial I don't know if the text below (a review) is more or less all this reviewer of his work wrote about his work, or if he pulled out the less favorable paragraphs.
Quote:
*The following is an excerpt from an abstract which appeared in the Journal of Biological Psychiatry in 1991 (vol. 30: pp. 719-725). Prepared by H. Stefan Bracha et al it is entitled Subtle Signs of Prenatal Maldevelopment of the Hand Ectoderm in Schizophrenia. A Preliminary Monozygotic Twin Study. (Reprints of this paper may be acquired from H. Stefan Bracha, M.D., Veterans Administration Medical Center, Neuropsychiatric Research (116A1-NLR), North Little Rock, AR 72114-1706.)

"The second trimester is a critical period of massive neuronal migration from the periventicular germinal matrix to the cortex. A peripheral appendage developing simultaneously with this neural migration to the cortex is the distal upper limb. The ectodermal cells of the fetal upper limb migrate to form the hand skin during the fourth and fifth months of gestation (first two-thirds of the second prenatal trimester)."

What we are given here then is the fact that (1) from the very same cytological material (the germinal matrix), and (2) from the very same outer layer of the fertilized egg cell (the ectoderm) and (3) in perfect symmetry with regard to timing (the start of the second trimester), we have the simultaneous development both of the brain proper and the hands.

In the body of the paper focus is on evidence which suggest that "genes that predispose to psychosis may act by making individuals more vulnerable to the disruptive effects of various prenatal insults." The following are the morphological and dermatoglyphic features of the hand which the author notes as identifying psychosis (in this case schizophrenia). The features are listed in order of percent prediction accuracy.


1. Broken proximal palmer line
2. Microphalagia
3. Broken distal palmer line
4. Thenar hypothrophy
5. Smaller thumbs
6. Malformed patterns
7. Fewer thenar ridges

**Perhaps more dramatic in its presentation but certainly no less significant with regard to the information which it provides is the film The Reactive Brain (1989) prepared by the WGBK Educational Foundation in Boston in association with the American Psychological Association. It is presented by Philip Zimbaro, Ph.D. of Stanford University.

The film exhibits the chemistries which induce measurable physical changes to the brain. While the brain has within it the programs which may determine (dictate) the patterns of an individual's attitudes and behavior, it is also shown to be acutely receptive and responsive to stimuli originating from sources external to the individual. Communication becomes bi-directional.

Experiences which may have profound emotional significance for the individual may effect physical changes in the brain. These would be changes which may be traced and measured. The central focus in this specific film was the child's need for its mothers touch. It was not just something which was nice to have but something which the brain needed for its own stimulation. The film demonstrated how the brain responded when the mother's touch was experienced and how it appeared when the infant/child had no access to maternal attentions and ministrations.

The importance for our own enterprise in all this is as follows. The morphology, constitution and dermal configurations of hands are constantly realizing adjustments. Sometimes these adjustments appear with remarkable suddenness and coincide with circumstances which may overtake the individual. If the hand is an extension and accurate representation of the brain (as per the preceding abstract) we can now explain why experiences which are emotionally significant and which may influence attitude and behavioral patterns may subsequently be recorded in the hand.

Given all the above it would be fair to say that anyone who would deny the legitimacy and scientific foundations of Psychodiagnostic Chirology is not familiar with the recent advances in Biological Psychiatry and Neurobiology. But the evidence is there and it is available to everyone.

I found the picture. It's the picture no. 58 on the right hand corner.
Although one cannot read the captions I remember the picture he used 2 years ago was very similar.
I wonder if this hand shape is widely shared by other hpds.
The web page is:
http://pdc-psyche.net/pages.htm[/img]

I wouldn't waste too much time on it.

seems like really stretching here! how about the nazi studies in phrenology? Skull shapes and finger lengths and can you roll your tongue or cross your toes- all that stuff is pretty irrelevant I think-

Now if it's something like left handedness, or gender or sexual identity or of a culture..those seem more valid.
Like--- most ? koreans have a square face? or um- many left handers are artists.?

- hand shape.. I'd like to put my exes thru a grinder to shape it-
lol