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Ontogeny of cranial base during the first two years of life
C Delteil1, C Mopin2, L Tuchtan1
1Forensic Department, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, La Timone, 264, rue St Pierre, 13385 Marseille Cedex 05, France; Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, EFS, ADES, Marseille, France.
Insights
Infant cranial base growth shows significant anteroposterior lengthening and posterior fossa expansion, primarily driven by overall growth, not sex. This study details infant cranial base development and allometry.
Area of Science:
- Craniofacial development
- Pediatric anatomy
- Developmental biology
Background:
- Brain and cranial base growth are integrated, potentially influencing each other, especially in early childhood.
- The exact nature of this influence and the specific growth dynamics of the infant cranial base remain areas for detailed investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the normal growth dynamics of the infant cranial base.
- To investigate the development and ontogenetic allometry of the infant cranial base.
Main Methods:
- Utilized CT scans from 32 infants (unexpected infant death protocol).
- Performed 3D reconstructions of the cranial base via manual segmentation and surface reconstruction.
- Positioned 19 landmarks on each bone surface for analysis.
Main Results:
- No significant correlation found between sex and cranial base shape, weight, length, or head circumference.
- Principal component analysis indicated growth accounts for 85.5% of variance; 25% of shape variance is explained by anteroposterior lengthening.
- Observed posterior fossa enlargement, inferior/anterior basion displacement, and negative allometry.
Conclusions:
- This study provides a fundamental approach to understanding infant ontogeny.
- Detailed analysis of cranial base shape, growth, and allometry in a select infant population.
Abstract:
The integration of the growth of the brain and the cranial base suggests that each system may influence the other, notably during the first three years of life, although this influence has never been proven to be exclusive. The aim of our work was to analyse the dynamics of normal growth on the one hand, and the development and ontogenetic allometry of the cranial base in the infant on the other hand.
Material And Method:
A total of 32 infants (17 males/15 femeles) having been included in the unexpected infant death french protocol were analyzed. Three-dimensional reconstructions of the cranial base were performed from CT scans. The technique combined manual segmentation of regions of interest, contour extraction and surface reconstruction. Nineteen landmarks were positioned on each of the bone surfaces.
Results:
No correlation was observed between sex assigned at birth and shape, weight, crown-heel length, or head circumference. Principal component analysis showed that 85.5% of the variance observed on the first component was secondary to growth. After Procrustes superimposition, 25% of the shape variance observed was explained by the first principal component. It showed anteroposterior lengthening of the cranial base. In addition, the height, width and length of the posterior fossa increased and the relative position of the basion was displaced inferiorly and anteriorly with flexion of the sphenoid angle. Negative allometry was also observed.
Conclusion:
Our study, carried out in a rigorously selected population of infants, presents a fundamental approach to ontogeny through study of shape, growth and ontogenetic allometry.
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