BACKGROUND: Over early fetal life, when disturbances in schizophrenia have been posited and craniofacial dysmorphogenesis reported, cerebral morphogenesis proceeds in embryological intimacy with craniofacial morphogenesis. Digitization technologies now allow 3D recording of craniofacial surface landmarks and modeling of craniofacial shape differences using geometric morphometrics. METHODS: Using normal sexual dimorphism as an exemplar, facial surfaces of 131 Medical School employees [82 females, 49 males] were recorded in 3D using a portable, hand-held laser scanner; 3D coordinate data were then analyzed using geometric morphometrics. RESULTS: Males and females differed markedly on an omnibus test of craniofacial shape. Logistic regression analysis of 16 principal components of shape variability, explaining 84.9% of the overall sample variance, generated 8 principal components as significant and independent discriminators. On visualization, the female face is wider and flatter; the eyes are more lateral, anterior and are further apart, and nasal bridge is posterior; the nose is smaller; the lips are fuller and the chin more forward. These findings are complementary to sexual dimorphism in cerebral structures. CONCLUSIONS: This technique reliably discriminates geometric features of craniofacial morphology that are associated with aspects of cerebral morphology, and may inform on putative neurodevelopmental disorders characterised by dysmorphogenesis.
BACKGROUND: Over early fetal life, when disturbances in schizophrenia have been posited and craniofacial dysmorphogenesis reported, cerebral morphogenesis proceeds in embryological intimacy with craniofacial morphogenesis. Digitization technologies now allow 3D recording of craniofacial surface landmarks and modeling of craniofacial shape differences using geometric morphometrics. METHODS: Using normal sexual dimorphism as an exemplar, facial surfaces of 131 Medical School employees [82 females, 49 males] were recorded in 3D using a portable, hand-held laser scanner; 3D coordinate data were then analyzed using geometric morphometrics. RESULTS: Males and females differed markedly on an omnibus test of craniofacial shape. Logistic regression analysis of 16 principal components of shape variability, explaining 84.9% of the overall sample variance, generated 8 principal components as significant and independent discriminators. On visualization, the female face is wider and flatter; the eyes are more lateral, anterior and are further apart, and nasal bridge is posterior; the nose is smaller; the lips are fuller and the chin more forward. These findings are complementary to sexual dimorphism in cerebral structures. CONCLUSIONS: This technique reliably discriminates geometric features of craniofacial morphology that are associated with aspects of cerebral morphology, and may inform on putative neurodevelopmental disorders characterised by dysmorphogenesis.
Authors: Peter Claes; Mark Walters; Mark D Shriver; David Puts; Greg Gibson; John Clement; Gareth Baynam; Geert Verbeke; Dirk Vandermeulen; Paul Suetens Journal: J Anat Date: 2012-06-18 Impact factor: 2.610
Authors: Robin J Hennessy; Patrizia A Baldwin; David J Browne; Anthony Kinsella; John L Waddington Journal: Schizophr Res Date: 2010-05-31 Impact factor: 4.939
Authors: Ruth S Sonnweber; Nina Stobbe; Olmo Zavala Romero; Dennis E Slice; Martin Fieder; Bernard Wallner Journal: PLoS One Date: 2013-06-24 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: M Mallar Chakravarty; Rosanne Aleong; Gabriel Leonard; Michel Perron; G Bruce Pike; Louis Richer; Suzanne Veillette; Zdenka Pausova; Tomáš Paus Journal: PLoS One Date: 2011-05-31 Impact factor: 3.240