Wrinkled fingers

Examining fingers after soaking them could be a good method of checking nerves' condition.

A new study has revealed that examining a persons fingers after soaking them could be an effective method of checking the condition of a person's nerves.

According to The Straits Times, scientists at the National University of Singapore and the National University Hospital have found that the more wrinkled the fingers get, the healthier the nerves are.

They are now trying to use this information to create a simple, cheap and faster screening method.

The test is based on the fact that water seeps in easily through the pores in the hand, diluting the body's own liquids and changing the electrolyte values.

This makes the nerve fibers fire up more rapidly and shrinks tiny blood vessels in the fingers. As they shrink, they pull the skin around them, causing wrinkles. Therefore, the number of wrinkles can indicate the health of the nerves.

According to the scientists, this test could be used to diagnose nerve atrophy or damage resulting from conditions like diabetes or leprosy. The HIV virus, responsible for Aids, also attacks nerves.

To count the number of wrinkles, scientists have written an algorithm for software to spot, measure and count wrinkles on digital photos of fingers.

The computer can compare before and after pictures and measure the wrinkles. For the test, the nerves are stimulated with anaesthetic, not water.

The system is currently being tested on HIV patients and has shown a good degree of accuracy.

"It's not osmosis shrivelling the skin, instead, it's actually the result of tiny nerve fibers, that reach all the way into your fingertips, reacting to the external stimuli," said Associate Professor Einar Wilder-Smith of the hospital's neurology department.