Postnatal growth of the cranial base in Macaca nemestrina

Abstract

Postnatal growth of the cranial base was longitudinally studied in 21 male and 11 female Macaca nemestrina. The basicranium of each animal was marked with tantulum implants in order that the tracings of each serial roentgenogram could be superimposed. Between the ages of 3.0 and 5.0 years the degree of sexual demorphism in both angular and linear dimensions increased. The cranial base flattened as a result of the upward and forward migration of nasion and the upward and backward relocation of basion. The movement of basion was primarily due to differential growth recorded at the spheno-occipital synchondrosis. Sexual difference in the relative growth of this synchondrosis resulted in a longer and somewhat flatter male cranial base. Male and female velocity curves showed accelerations that coincide with their estimated age for the onset of puberty.

Postnatal Growth and Sexual Dimorphism in the Skull of the Japanese Macaque (<i>Macaca fuscata</i>)

“…In the mandibular dimensions and the shape change of cranial base (Lestrel and Sirianni, 1982), pigtailed macaques are shown to reach the maximum acceleration of the spurt between 4.0 and 5.0 years in males and between 3.0 and 4.0 years in females. In the growth velocity of the spheno-occipital synchondrosis, female pigtailed macaques reach their accelerative peaks between 2.8 and 3.4 years (Sirianni and Van Ness, 1978). While the pigtailed and Japanese macaques are rather similar in the timing of the female spurt of craniofacial dimensions, they differ in the temporal relationship between the male and female spurts.…”

“…Longitudinal craniofacial growth of Macaca nemestrina is laboriously studied and described (Lestrel and Sirianni, 1982;Sirianni and Swindler, 1985;Sirianni and Van Ness, 1978;Sirianni et al, 1982). In the mandibular dimensions and the shape change of cranial base (Lestrel and Sirianni, 1982), pigtailed macaques are shown to reach the maximum acceleration of the spurt between 4.0 and 5.0 years in males and between 3.0 and 4.0 years in females.…”

Brain size and the human cranial base: A prenatal perspective

“…The pattern of base angulation seen during late prenatal and early postnatal human development is distinct from that observed for macaques during equivalent periods (see Sirianni and Van Ness, 1978;Sirianni and Newell-Morris, 1980 and subsequently retroflexes by some 10°after birth (Sirianni and Van Ness, 1978). In contrast, the human base retroflexes before birth and subsequently flexes postnatally.…”

Surface bone histology of the occipital bone in humans and chimpanzees

“…If the macaque data are representa- tive of growth processes in Old World monkeys/African apes, the outer surface of the nuchal plane suggests that it is primarily resorptive, unlike that seen in modern humans (Duterloo and Enlow, 1970;Sirianni and Van Ness, 1978). Theoretically, the change in nuchal plane orientation is a direct consequent of the progression of growth field activity (Fig.…”