HOME JOURNALS CONTACT

Trends in Applied Sciences Research

Year: 2011 | Volume: 6 | Issue: 11 | Page No.: 1280-1286
DOI: 10.17311/tasr.2011.1280.1286
Study of Vertical and Transverse Cephalic Indices in Three Ethnic Groups of North-eastern Nigerian Origin
M.B. Maina, O. Mahdi and G.D. Kalayi

Abstract: Cephalometry is a branch of anthropometry through which cephalic index is estimated. Cephalometric studies on head types are useful in paediatrics, forensic medicine, plastic surgery, oral surgery and diagnostic comprehension between patient and normal populations. In Nigeria, literature is lacking on head shapes by vertical and transverse cephalic indices, this study was therefore undertaken to document the different head types in three ethnic groups of North-Eastern Nigeria residing in Gombe. Cephalic length, width and height in Fulani, Tangale and Tera ethnic groups were linearly measured in a total of 322 (152 males and 170 females) 18-40 years old subjects. The result revealed no significant difference in cephalic indices, except in Fulani males, where transverse cephalic index was higher than in the other ethnic groups (p<0.05) and in Tangale females where all the cephalic indices were higher than in other ethnic groups (p<0.05). Head types based on the indices in males and females from all the three ethnic groups are dominantly High Hypsicephalic and Acrocephalic and rarely Chamaecephalic and Tapeinocephalic according to vertical and transverse cephalic indices, respectively. The study revealed that the three ethnic groups share differences on the basis of cephalic indices and share some similarities on the basis of head types and that Nigerians share similarities with Sri Lankans base on their head types.

Fulltext PDF Fulltext HTML

How to cite this article
M.B. Maina, O. Mahdi and G.D. Kalayi, 2011. Study of Vertical and Transverse Cephalic Indices in Three Ethnic Groups of North-eastern Nigerian Origin. Trends in Applied Sciences Research, 6: 1280-1286.

Related Articles:
© Science Alert. All Rights Reserved