Dolichocephaly

DOLICHOCEPHALY, dolichocephaly (from Greek dolichos - long and kephale - head), long-headedness, a term introduced into anthropology by Retzius (Anders Retzius; 1864).

Forms of skull: left - long-headed (dolichocephalic); right - short-headed (brachycephalic).

D. is characterized by a significant predominance of the longitudinal diameter of the cranial vault over the transverse diameter (see figure). The cephalic index of D., according to the international agreement of craniologists in 1886, ranges between 55.0 and 74.9. Within this group, ultradolichocephaly (cephalic index 60.0-64.9) and hyperdolichocephaly (cephalic index 65.0-69.9) are distinguished. In the origin of D., as well as other forms of the head, various factors play a role that influence during the growth of the skull bones - both general (geographical location, racial peculiarities of lifestyle, nutrition, etc.) and individual (position of the fetus, mechanism of labor, care of the child). Under the influence of pathological causes that cause premature uneven fusion of cranial sutures (partial synostoses), various forms of D. arise, which Virchow divides into: simple D. (fusion of the sagittal suture), sphenocephaly (fusion of the sagittal suture with elevation of the anterior fontanelle area), leptoprocephaly (fusion of the frontal and parieto-sphenoid sutures), trigonocephaly (fusion of the median frontal suture), clinocephaly (fusion of the sphenoid-parietal suture). The study of the geographical distribution of various forms of the skull showed that D. predominates in Africa, Australia, and in the northern and southern parts of Europe.