How and why humans grow thin skulls: Experimental evidence for systemic cortical robusticity
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To what extent is cranial vault thickness (CVT) a character that is strongly linked to the genome, or to what extent does it reflect the activity of an individual prior to skeletal maturity? Experimental data from pigs and armadillos indicate that CVT increases more rapidly in exercised juveniles than in genetically similar controls, despite the low levels of strain generated by chewing or locomotion in the neurocranium. CVT increases in these individuals appear to be a consequence of systemic cortical bone growth induced by exercise. In addition, an analysis of the variability in vault thickness in the genus Homo demonstrates that, until the Holocene, there has been only a slight, general decrease in vault thickness over time with no consistent significant differences between archaic and early anatomically modern humans from the Late Pleistocene. Although there may be some genetic component to variation in CVT, exercise-related, non-genetically heritable stimuli appear to account for most of the variance between individuals. The thick cranial vaults of most hunter-gatherers and early agriculturalists suggests that they may have experienced higher levels of sustained exercise relative to body mass than the majority of recent, post-industrial humans. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Keywords:
Cranial vault
Neurocranium
Vault (architecture)
To what extent is cranial vault thickness (CVT) a character that is strongly linked to the genome, or to what extent does it reflect the activity of an individual prior to skeletal maturity? Experimental data from pigs and armadillos indicate that CVT increases more rapidly in exercised juveniles than in genetically similar controls, despite the low levels of strain generated by chewing or locomotion in the neurocranium. CVT increases in these individuals appear to be a consequence of systemic cortical bone growth induced by exercise. In addition, an analysis of the variability in vault thickness in the genus Homo demonstrates that, until the Holocene, there has been only a slight, general decrease in vault thickness over time with no consistent significant differences between archaic and early anatomically modern humans from the Late Pleistocene. Although there may be some genetic component to variation in CVT, exercise-related, non-genetically heritable stimuli appear to account for most of the variance between individuals. The thick cranial vaults of most hunter-gatherers and early agriculturalists suggests that they may have experienced higher levels of sustained exercise relative to body mass than the majority of recent, post-industrial humans. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Cranial vault
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Vault (architecture)
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Of 550 patients treated in our burn unit 5.1% had electrical injuries. Injuries of the skull and scalp were caused by entry of electrical current. The classic reconstruction of the scalp and skull is performed after sequestration of the necrotic bone, a time-consuming process which frequently has complications. An alternative is to induce regeneration of the vitalized bone by covering it early with a vascular tissue flap. Skeletal scintigraphy has the advantage of allowing early and safe assessment of the vitality of the injured bone and helps to control vitalization.
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Cranial trauma
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Summary The craniometric measurements in addition to the skull, cranial and facial indices undertaken in the immature and mature male Camelus dromedarius of the Malha phenotype (black) were: the skull length (35.99 cm), maximum width of neurocranium (11.33 cm), cranial length (15.45 cm), maximum zygomatic width (14.81 cm), viscerocranial length (20.55 cm), skull index (41.13), cranial index (73.70), facial index (72.31), cranial volume (231.73 ml) and skull weight (795.70 g) were measured in the immature camels. In the mature camels, the skulls gave the following measurements: the skull length (50.53 cm), maximum width of neurocranium (15.96 cm), cranial length (21.93 cm), maximum zygomatic width (22.75 cm), viscerocranial length (28.60 cm), skull index (45.06), cranial index (72.99), facial index (79.83), cranial volume (310.80 ml) and skull weight (2598.31 g). The results of a total of 30 skulls of immature and mature Malha camel revealed that all the measurements increased with age whereas the cranial index was the only parameter for which a decreased value was recorded. The anterior basicranial angle averaged about 203 ° in the immature animal to increase to an insignificant value of 204 ° in the mature camel skull. Similarly, the posterior basicranial angle did not exhibit a significant difference between the immature and mature values, which ranged between 110 and112 ° ,respectively.
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Cranial vault is the case surrounding the brain. Its structure differs in newborns than in adults in some aspects. Such differences should be clear for both health and family members. Moreover, the anatomy and embryology of fetal skull take a little attention in the previous literature and textbooks. Therefore, this short review aimed to clarify some aspects of anatomy and clinical importance of cranial vault features in newborns. The newborn vault is formed of multiple separate flat bones connected by fibrous tissues with wide soft gaps called fontanelles. Development of bones of skull vault is closely correlated with the expanding growth of the underlying brain. Such brain shouldn't be struggled by continuous tightening of the newborns' vault. Also, the newborn skull could be affected even by a fixed sleeping position.
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This study was carried out to determine the osteometric features of the skull by using three dimensional computed tomography images in gazelles (Gazelle subgutturosa). In the study, nine skull samples of adult gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa) were used. Images of the skull sections of 0.625 mm thickness were acquired by using a computer tomography device with 64 detectors applying 80 kV, 200 mA and 639 mGY. Three-dimensional images of the skull samples were reconstructed and morphometric measurements (39 linear, 1 volumetric and 1 surface area) were performed by using the software program MIMICS 12.1. Mean skull volumes in males and females were found to be 115.74±2.43 cm3 and 87.69±1.09 cm3 while the mean skull surface areas in males and females were 79.62±8.56 cm2 and 77.34±1.18 cm2, respectively. Significant differences between males and females for median frontal length (MFL), frontal length (FRL), upper neurocranium length (UNCL), greatest length of the lacrimal bone (GLLB), oral palatal length (OPL), length of the upper molar row (LUMR) and the greatest neurocranium breadth (GNCB) were observed. The difference in the cranial index between males and females was statistically significant (P<0.01). The data obtained in this study will contribute to detect differences between the gazelles and other species with respect to skull morphometry.
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To what extent is cranial vault thickness (CVT) a character that is strongly linked to the genome, or to what extent does it reflect the activity of an individual prior to skeletal maturity? Experimental data from pigs and armadillos indicate that CVT increases more rapidly in exercised juveniles than in genetically similar controls, despite the low levels of strain generated by chewing or locomotion in the neurocranium. CVT increases in these individuals appear to be a consequence of systemic cortical bone growth induced by exercise. In addition, an analysis of the variability in vault thickness in the genus Homo demonstrates that, until the Holocene, there has been only a slight, general decrease in vault thickness over time with no consistent significant differences between archaic and early anatomically modern humans from the Late Pleistocene. Although there may be some genetic component to variation in CVT, exercise-related, non-genetically heritable stimuli appear to account for most of the variance between individuals. The thick cranial vaults of most hunter-gatherers and early agriculturalists suggests that they may have experienced higher levels of sustained exercise relative to body mass than the majority of recent, post-industrial humans. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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Calvaria
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3 Abstract: The morphology and morphometry of eight skulls of adult Mehraban, a native Iranian breed sheep, were examined. All morphometric data were expressed as mean ± SEM. In this breed, a skull weight of 214.29 ± 22.47 g, a skull length of 20.06 ± 1.71 cm, a cranial length of 11.98 ± 0.24 cm, a skull index of 53.57 ± 3.26, a cranial index of 52.76 ± 1.13, a facial index of 85.44 ± 1.89, an orbital index of 21.46 ± 0.68 and a cranial volume of 130.86 ± 11.55 ml were measured. In order to determine the likely relationship, if any, between the indices and skull length and skull width, correlation coefficients were computed. Cephalic index was negatively correlated with both length and width of the skull in Mehraban sheep. The neurocranium capacity was negatively correlated with skull length. The results were discussed in terms of the usage of morphologic and morphometric characteristics of skulls in several basic and clinical applications in Mehraban sheep industry.
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This report presents the craniofacial morphology of a skull afflicted with hydrocephalus, belonging to an adult male who lived in the 19th century in Vienna. The volume of the skull (2022 cm3) exceeds normal capacity of a male skull which is estimated to be 1500 cm3. Diameters of the neurocranium and head circumference of the specimen differ significantly from normative values, while the facial diameters remain in normal range of variation. Characteristic features of the investigated skull are numerous accessory bones and sutures of the neurocranium. Overall the morphology of the cranial bones suggests that the male suffered from congenital hydrocephalus.
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In this chapter we discuss parts of the primate skull (cranium and mandible) according to embryology and the evolutionary history (neurocranium and viscerocranium) and according to their mode of ossification (chondrocranium and dermatocranium). Subsequently, the osteology of the skull in newborn hominoids (apes and humans) is discussed based on the literature, followed by regional accounts of skull anatomy in a newly described sample of tarsiers, Old World monkeys, New World monkeys, and strepsirrhines (lemurs and lorises). The chapter ends with a brief discussion of the early postnatal trajectory of skull ossification and growth in selected primate species based on a comparison of species at similar known ages during infancy.
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