Polydactyly is
a deformity in which the hand has one or more extra fingers in any of three places of the hand
: on the small finger side — most common (ulnar) on the thumb side, also called thumb duplication — less common (radial) in the middle of the hand — least common (central)
What does it mean if someone has polydactyly?
Polydactyly is
a deformity in which the hand has one or more extra fingers in any of three places of the hand
: on the small finger side — most common (ulnar) on the thumb side, also called thumb duplication — less common (radial) in the middle of the hand — least common (central)
What is the cause of polydactyly?
Most often the extra digit grows next to the fifth finger or toe. Polydactyly tends to run in families. It may also result
from genetic mutations or environmental causes
. The usual treatment is surgery to remove the extra digit.
What is polydactyly NHS?
Polydactyly means
extra digit(s)
, which can be on the thumb side of the hand (radial or pre-axial polydactyly), on the little finger side (ulnar or post-axial polydactyly) or centrally in the hand (least common). It affects about 1 in 1000 people. The extra digits may be small nubbins or fully formed.
Is polydactyly a good thing?
FRIDAY, June 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Though rare, some children are born with an extra finger, a condition known as polydactyly. Now, for the first time, a team of researchers set out to see whether having this extra appendage is somehow beneficial. The
answer is yes
.
Is polydactyly caused by inbreeding?
Inbreeding
would increase the percentage of polydactyl offspring, but there will always be a few normal-toed kittens in the litter, because of that recessive gene.
Is 6 fingers a dominant trait?
Polydactyly
Polydactyly is an abnormality characterized by extra fingers or toes. The condition may be present as part of a collection of abnormalities, or it may exist by itself. When polydactyly exhibits by itself, it is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait.
What is polydactyly an example of?
Because the gene for polydactyly always causes extra toes in cats, but the number of extra toes varies between individuals with the gene, polydactyly is considered an example of
variable “expressivity
.”
Is polydactyly a disease?
Polydactyly is a
condition in which a person has more than five fingers per hand or five toes per foot
. It is the most common birth defect of the hand and foot. Polydactyly can occur as an isolated finding such that the person has no other physical anomalies or intellectual impairment.
Does polydactyly cause harm?
Polydactyly Is
Caused by a Genetic Mutation
The front paws are most often affected by polydactyly, but it can also occur on the hind paws; it’s extremely rare for a cat to have polydactyly on all four paws. For the most part, polydactyly is harmless to a cat’s health and wellness.
Is polydactyly inherited?
Polydactyly may be passed down in families. This trait involves only one gene that can cause several variations. African Americans, more than other ethnic groups, can
inherit a 6th finger
. In most cases, this is not caused by a genetic disease.
Is having 6 fingers bad?
The mutation is called
polydactyly
, and around one in 500 babies has it. These extra digits are considered useless, and usually amputated not long after birth – but as new research has shown, they may not be quite so bad after all.
Is polydactyly more common in males or females?
Polydactyly is
10 times more frequent in black versus white males
and 22 times more frequent in black females than white females, according to one study comparing the Southern USA and Sweden.
Which finger is most useless?
Nerves and muscles
The little finger
is nearly impossible for most people to bend independently (without also bending the ring finger), due to the nerves for each finger being intertwined.
Can polydactyly skip a generation?
As a result,
it may appear to “skip” a generation
. Since polydactyly is usually repaired early in life and may be forgotten or not discussed in families, ascertaining a complete family history of polydactyly may be difficult.
How common is polydactyly in humans?
Polydactyly occurs in
1 in 1,000 births
in the overall population, but occurs more often in African Americans with 1 in 150 births.
