Cephalic Index of The Igbos, Nigeria. Genetic change overtime results to evolution.
Evolutionary processes arise due to natural selection, nutrition, genetic drifts and genetic flow. These processes affect the human body. The change on the human body overtime has to be documented using simple anthropometric measurement.
CI is the most investigated craniofacial parameters as it uses the length and breadth of the head which are useful indices in the study of secular trend The ratio of the maximum head breadth (MHB) to the maximum head length (MHL) i.e. (HB X 100/HL), can be used to measure the size of the head. CI gives an idea of how genetic characters are transmitted
In this study we attempted to investigate the pattern of head distribution of the study population using the above basic classifications for the consumption of the Forensic Anthropologists and Craniofacial Surgeons. This study showed that the Cephalometric dimensions of the females were significantly higher than those of the males (p<0.02), the reason for this difference cannot be immediately explained but it agrees with sexual dimorphism. Measures the straight distance between glabella and the opisthocranion.
Measures the distance between the most lateral points of the parietal bone. It is also called maximum bi-parietal diameter. Also the value and the percentages of various cephalic phenol type are presented too. In the present study, we observed gender difference with females having a higher CI of 73.60 compared 68.80 of the males.
The dominant type of head shape observed in this study was dolichocephalic (76.20%). This finding is similar to a study in India17 in which 58.5% of population was dolichocephalic. The dominant type of head from this study was not similar to the following studies. The documented head pattern or shape would be useful to Forensic Anthropologist and Craniofacial surgeons.
