Regarding the development and permanence of friction ridges, which statement is correct?
- A Ridges are fully formed at birth and cannot be altered by any injury whatsoever
- B Ridges continue to reorganise until puberty, after which they stabilise
- C Ridges form during the fourth to sixth month of intrauterine life and remain unchanged thereafter except for proportional growth ✓
- D Ridge configuration changes predictably with ageing skin elasticity
Correct answer: C. Ridges form during the fourth to sixth month of intrauterine life and remain unchanged thereafter except for proportional growth
Explanation
Per standard forensic teaching, dermal ridge patterns are laid down between the fourth and sixth months of intrauterine life and persist lifelong, growing only proportionally with the hand. Only an injury extending into the dermis and destroying the papillae permanently alters the pattern. Superficial epidermal wounds heal without trace, and ageing enlarges but never reconfigures the ridges, eliminating the other options.
Reference: Parikh's Textbook of Medical Jurisprudence, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 9th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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