For brachycephalic animal breeds, see Cephalic index § Modern use in animal breeding, and Brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome.
Medical condition
Brachycephaly
Other names
Brachyceplalic
Brachycephaly and dolichocephaly
Specialty
Medical genetics
Brachycephaly (derived from the Ancient Greek βραχύς, 'short' and κεφαλή, 'head') is the shape of a skull shorter than average in its species. It is perceived as a cosmetically desirable trait in some domesticated dog and cat breeds, notably the pug and Persian, and can be normal or abnormal in other animal species.
In humans, brachycephaly can appear both pathologically and non-pathologically as a result of normal human variation. It is particularly common in Mongolians and the Andamanese.[1]
In anthropology, human populations have been characterized as either dolichocephalic (long-headed), mesocephalic (moderate-headed), or brachycephalic (short-headed). The usefulness of the cephalic index was questioned by Giuseppe Sergi, who argued that cranial morphology provided a better means to model racial ancestry.[2]
When pathological, it is known as flat head syndrome, and it results from premature fusion of the coronal sutures, or from external deformation. The coronal suture is the fibrous joint that unites the frontal bone with the two parietal bones of the skull. The parietal bones form the top and sides of the skull. This feature can also be a symptom of Down syndrome.
There are also cases of brachycephaly associated with plagiocephaly. Brachycephaly with plagiocephaly is positional and has become more prevalent since the "Back to Sleep" campaign. The Back to Sleep campaign began in 1994 as a way to educate parents about ways to reduce the risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The campaign was named for its recommendation to place healthy babies on their backs to sleep. Placing babies on their backs to sleep reduces the risk for SIDS, also known as "cot death" or "crib death." This campaign has been successful in promoting infant back sleeping and other risk-reduction strategies to parents, family members, child care providers, health professionals, and all other caregivers of infants, at the cost of increasing the incidence of this deformation of the head.[3] It is considered a cosmetic problem.[4][5] Many pediatricians remain unaware of the issue and possible treatments. Treatments include regular prone repositioning of babies ("tummy time").[6]
^"Cephalic index | skull shape, head shape, cranial index". Britannica. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
^K. Killgrove (2005). Bioarchaeology in the Roman World(PDF) (M.A. thesis). UNC Chapel Hill. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 March 2012.
^John Persing; et al. (1 July 2003). "Prevention and Management of Positional Skull Deformities in Infants". Pediatrics. 112 (1): 199–202. doi:10.1542/peds.112.1.199. PMID 12837890.
^"Plagiocephaly and brachycephaly (flat head syndrome)". NHS. 13 February 2012.
^Matthew L. Speltz; et al. (15 February 2010). "Case-Control Study of Neurodevelopment in Deformational Plagiocephaly". Pediatrics. 125 (3): e537–e542. doi:10.1542/peds.2009-0052. PMC 3392083. PMID 20156894. Although DP is considered a purely aesthetic problem by many practitioners, several studies have challenged this view.
^Di Rocco, Federico; Ble, Valeria; Beuriat, Pierre-Aurelien; Szathmari, Alexandru; Lohkamp, Laura Nanna; Mottolese, Carmine (30 April 2019). "Prevalence and severity of positional plagiocephaly in children and adolescents". Acta Neurochirurgica. 161 (6): 1095–1098. doi:10.1007/s00701-019-03924-2. PMID 31041593. S2CID 141503557.
symptom of Down syndrome. There are also cases of brachycephaly associated with plagiocephaly. Brachycephaly with plagiocephaly is positional and has become...
as brachycephaly. Brachycephaly results in deformation of the upper airway tract and leads to obstruction of breathing. Effects of brachycephaly are...
as brachycephaly. Brachycephaly results in deformation of the upper airway tract and leads to obstruction of breathing. Effects of brachycephaly are...
as brachycephaly. Brachycephaly results in deformation of the upper airway tract and leads to obstruction of breathing. Effects of brachycephaly are...
Brachycephalic airway obstruction syndrome (BAOS) is a condition caused by brachycephaly. The main issues arising from the shortened muzzle are stenotic nares...
breed of dog. Brachycephaly refers to the shortened muzzle of the breed which results in a pushed-in appearance of the face. Brachycephaly results in deformation...
The shortened snout and pushed in face of the Pug is known as brachycephaly. Brachycephaly results in deformation of the upper airway tract and leads to...
however, the treatment of deformational plagiocephaly is controversial. Brachycephaly describes a very wide head shape with a flattening across the whole...
as you can see in figure 2. The incidence is 1 in 10 000 births. In brachycephaly both of the coronal sutures are prematurely fused. The shape of this...
cranial morphology provided a better means to model racial ancestry. Brachycephaly Cephalic index Plagiocephaly Ferreira, Rafael; et al. (2011). "Canine...
classified as "extreme brachycephalic". Because of the health issues brachycephaly is regarded as torture breeding as it often leads to the brachycephalic...
face inherited from the Persian is known as brachycephaly. The anatomical deformities caused by brachycephaly may lead to dyspnoea. Epiphora may occur due...
skull. Examples include: trigonocephaly (fusion of the metopic suture), brachycephaly (fusion of the coronal suture and lambdoid suture bilaterally), dolichocephaly...
defects, As a result of breeding for an increasingly flattened face, its brachycephaly can lead to health issues in some Pekingese. Therefore other potential...
Unusually large upper front teeth (macrodontia) A short, wide skull (brachycephaly) Wide eyebrows that may grow together (synophrys) Prominent nasal bridge...
mastoid can be seen. Minimal forehead asymmetries are typically seen. Brachycephaly, or a 'short head', is the result of a closure of both the coronal sutures...
be confused with Nordic. Norics were characterized by tall stature, brachycephaly, nasal convexity, long face and broad forehead. Their complexion was...
have been bred with increasingly severe cranial deformities called brachycephaly, for example, the French Bulldog, who consequently suffer from Brachycephalic...
cornea. The anatomical changes in the upper respiratory track caused by brachycephaly such as stenotic nares, elongated soft palate, and nasopharyngeal turbinates...
Persian (or sometimes Himalayan or Exotic Shorthair), with short legs and brachycephaly ("peke-face", characteristic of the latter breeds). Coat length and...
of: frontal bossing, trigonocephaly (fusion of the metopic suture), brachycephaly (fusion of the coronal suture), dolichocephaly (fusion of the sagittal...
Brachyturricephaly is a form of complex craniosynostosis (a combination of brachycephaly and turricephaly) in which the head has both an abnormally high vertical...
features may include microcephaly (small head), which may be combined with brachycephaly (short head); small, deep-set eyes; straight eyebrows; epicanthal folds;...
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