Dolichocephaly (derived from the Ancient Greekδολιχός 'long' and κεφαλή 'head') is a term used to describe a head that is longer than average relative to its width. In humans, scaphocephaly is a form of dolichocephaly.
Dolichocephalic dogs (such as the Lurcher or German Shepherd) have elongated noses. This makes them vulnerable to fungal diseases of the nose such as aspergillosis.[1] In humans the anterior–posterior diameter (length) of dolichocephaly head is more than the transverse diameter (width).[citation needed]
Dolichocephaly can sometimes be a symptom of Sensenbrenner syndrome, Crouzon syndrome, Sotos syndrome,[2]CMFTD[3] and Marfan syndrome. However, it also occurs non-pathologically as a result of normal variation between human populations. The standards for denoting dolichocephaly are derived from Caucasian anatomy norms, and thus describing dolichocephaly as a medical condition may not reflect the diversity in different human populations.[4]
Racist Theories on Dolichocephalic Faces in the 1980s and 1990s
In the 1980s and 1990s, some racist theorists revived the idea that dolichocephalic (long, narrow) faces were linked to racial superiority, particularly in Nordic or "Aryan" groups. They claimed these facial features indicated higher intelligence. However, this theory was baseless, as dolichocephalic traits are also found in African and Australoid populations, disproving the idea of a superior race.[5]
In anthropology, human populations have been characterized as either dolichocephalic (long-headed), mesocephalic (moderate-headed), or brachycephalic (short-headed). The usefulness of the cephalic index was questioned by Giuseppe Sergi, who argued that cranial morphology provided a better means to model racial ancestry.[6]
