Facial Shape Manifestations of Growth Faltering in Tanzanian Children

• NCJ Number: 307029
• Journal: Journal of Anatomy Volume: 232 Issue: 2 Dated: Feb 2018 Pages: 250-262
• Author(s): Joanne B. Cole; Mange F. Manyama; Dejana Nikitovic; Paula N. Gonzalez; Denise K. Liberton; Warren M. Wilson; Campbell Rolian; et al
• Date Published: February 2018
• Length: 13 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2013-DN-BX-K025; 2010-DN-BX-K139
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Award: Combined Genetic and Micro-chemical Analysis of Household Dust as a Definitive Trace Identifier of a Room and its Occupants; Molecular Characterization of Trace Biological Evidence for the Optimized Recovery and Analysis of 'Touch DNA'

Annotation

This article presents research into human face variations resulting from genetic and environmental influences.

Abstract

Variation in the shape of the human face and in stature is determined by complex interactions between genetic and environmental influences. One such environmental influence is malnourishment, which can result in growth faltering, usually diagnosed by means of comparing an individual's stature with a set of age-appropriate standards. These standards for stature, however, are typically ascertained in groups where people are at low risk for growth faltering. Moreover, genetic differences among populations with respect to stature are well established, further complicating the generalizability of stature-based diagnostic tools. In a large sample of children aged 5–19 years, the authors obtained high-resolution genomic data, anthropometric measures and 3D facial images from individuals within and around the city of Mwanza, Tanzania. With genome-wide complex trait analysis, the authors partitioned genetic and environmental variance for growth outcomes and facial shape. The authors found that children with growth faltering have faces that look like those of older and taller children, in a direction opposite to the expected allometric trajectory, and in ways predicted by the environmental portion of covariance at the community and individual levels. The environmental variance for facial shape varied subtly but significantly among communities, whereas genetic differences were minimal. These results reveal that facial shape preserves information about exposure to undernourishment, with important implications for refining assessments of nutritional status in children and the developmental-genetics of craniofacial variation alike. (Published Abstract Provided)