Brachycephaly

Uncommon card · No. 196144

Brachycephaly (from Ancient Greek βραχύς, brakhús, meaning "short", and κεφαλή, kephalḗ, meaning "head") is the shape of a skull shorter than average in its species. It is perceived as a cosmetically desirable trait in some domesticated dog and cat breeds, notably the pug and Persian, and can be normal or abnormal in other animal species. In humans, brachycephaly can appear both pathologically and non-pathologically as a result of normal human variation. It is particularly common in Mongolians and the Andamanese. A 2026 systematic review found brachycephalic or hyperbrachycephalic averages in several Himalayan, Iranian, East Asian and admixed Brazilian populations. It also found that many populations underwent progressive brachycephalization during the 20th century, partly reversed in Korean cohorts born after about 1965–1970. In anthropology, human populations have been characterized as either dolichocephalic (long-headed), mesocephalic (moderate-headed), or brachycephalic (short-headed...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain