Lower face asymmetry as a marker for developmental instability

Abstract

The findings suggest that lower face asymmetries are a marker for environmental stress and cerebral lateralization during early development.

Analysis of facial skeletal asymmetry during foetal development using μCT imaging

“…Unilateral retrognathia was more common than unilateral prognathia (~17% and ~8%, respectively). Interestingly, the former display FA while the later displays DA, occurring more often on the left than the right side . The authors also found that the prevalence of symmetric, that is bilateral retrognathia and prognathia, changes with age.…”

“…Studies have indicated that the mandible displays significant asymmetry. Hujoel et al evaluated lower face asymmetry in ~6500 adolescents, utilizing dental markers as a surrogate for jaw size. They reported lower face asymmetry in ~25% of the population.…”

“…Findings suggest that the left side is slightly, but systematically larger than the right when analysing the normal human dental arch, as well as the certain metrics of the human face . Existence of FA in mandibular retrusion has also been suggested …”

Dental enamel defects predict adolescent health indicators: A cohort study among the Tsimane’ of Bolivia

“…Markers such as low birth weight may not only reflect information on early life stressors, but may also reflect inherited characteristics (Hujoel et al 2017). Therefore, identification of alternative measures of early childhood experience (beyond birth weight and growth stunting), particularly those that capture the source and timescale of early childhood exposures, are a priority for research on the DOHaD (Kuzawa 2005b; Newnham and Ross 2009; Kuzawa and Quinn 2009).…”

Disruption of symmetry: A quantitative assessment of facial skeleton anatomy in children born with unilateral cleft lip and palate

“…For example, bioarchaeologists identified mandibular DA in an early medieval sample from the Czech Republic, potentially related to diet and chewing habits (Ibrova et al, 2017). In a recent population, DA of the lower face was associated with environmental stress (Hujoel et al, 2017). An investigation of a contemporary population of highly inbred Bedouin adults quantified DA in the calvarium and cranial base DA (Hershkovitz et al, 1992).…”