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[Angles among main cranial sutures in Japanese]
K Akimoto1, M Kitazawa, K Tanuma
1Department of Anatomy, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
Nihon Ika Daigaku Zasshi
|February 1, 1995
Summary
The study found that male Japanese skulls (calvaria) tend to be larger than female skulls. The presence of the metopic suture also influences skull size and shape, particularly in the frontal bone.
Area of Science:
- Anthropology
- Anatomy
- Craniometry
Background:
- Cranial suture morphology and dimensions are crucial for understanding skull development and variation.
- The metopic suture, a remnant of fetal development, can persist into adulthood, potentially influencing cranial shape.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between cranial suture angles and calvarial size in adult Japanese individuals.
- To examine how the presence or absence of the metopic suture affects cranial dimensions and proportions.
Main Methods:
- Measurement of angles at bregma and lambda among coronal, sagittal, and lambdoid sutures.
- Assessment of calvarial size using bistephanic arc/breadth and parietal sagittal arc/chord.
- Categorization of 158 Japanese calvariae into four groups based on sex and metopic suture presence.
Main Results:
- Male calvariae were larger than female calvariae in bistephanic and parietal sagittal dimensions.
- The bistephanic index was higher in skulls with the metopic suture (Um) compared to females without it (F).
- The frontal squama apical angle was larger in males (M) and in skulls with the metopic suture (Um) compared to females (F).
Conclusions:
- Cranial suture angles correlate with calvarial size and shape in adult Japanese.
- The metopic suture's persistence is associated with specific cranial dimensions and frontal bone morphology.