High‐Altitude Adaptations in Cranial and Facial Morphology Among the Native Populations of Qinghai and Pamir and Tian Shan Mountains
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19458342 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Pavel D Manakhov (0000-0002-1192-006X, Anuchin Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology Lomonosov Moscow State University Moscow Russia, corresponding author), Andrej A Evteev (0000-0002-6254-1203, Anuchin Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology Lomonosov Moscow State University Moscow Russia) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pages | e70053-e70053 |
| Publication date | 2025-05-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | American Journal of Human Biology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1042-0533 • E-ISSN: 1520-6300 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1002/ajhb.70053 |
| PMID | 40318227 |
| OpenAlex | W4410052501 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 30 |
OBJECTIVES: This study investigates the ecogeographic trends in the morphology of the cranial and facial skeleton of high- and mid-altitude mountainous populations of Central Asia and China and tests them against the morphological features of related low-altitude populations of the same regions. METHODS: Data on 32 cranial dimensions (9 of the cranium and 23 of the facial skeleton) was collected in a sample of 289 skulls (171 male, 118 female) from 4 high- and mid-altitude populations of Central Asia and China (236 individuals) and 3 low-altitude populations of the same regions (61 individuals). RESULTS: The two-way partial least square (PLS) analysis revealed a moderate level of correlation between cranial morphology and climatic conditions in samples employed, with high- and mid-altitude populations of Central Asia displaying smaller cranial dimensions, specifically cranial height, than low-altitude populations of the same regions. The analysis of the facial skeleton revealed an increase in the relative width of the nasal aperture and nasal cavity for some of the groups employed, with various degrees of correlation. DISCUSSION: Our results indicate the decrease in cranium size in mountainous populations of Central Asia, but not of China, which could be attributed both to the negative influence of high-altitude environments and socioeconomical influences. The increase in relative width of the nasal aperture and nasal cavity in high-altitude populations could be linked to the need for increased oxygen uptake in the low-pressure environment of high altitudes
Biology · Central asia · Effects of high altitude on humans · Facial skeleton · Geography · Low altitude · Physical geography · Skull · Zoology · Craniofacial Disorders and Treatments · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · High Altitude and Hypoxia · Anatomy
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |