Developmental shape changes in facial morphology: Geometric morphometric analyses based on a prospective, population-based, Chinese cohort in Hong Kong.

Abstract

BackgroundThorough understanding of developmental changes of human facial shape is lacking. The present study aimed to evaluate developmental shape changes of facial morphology based on a prospective, population-representative, Chinese cohort in Hong Kong.MethodsA population-representative sample of Chinese in Hong Kong was followed. Serial facial images of over 260 participants were obtained at age 12, 15, and 18 years. Facial landmarks were digitized and the corresponding coordinates were submitted for Generalized Procrustes Analysis. The resultant Procrustes shape coordinates, which captured shape information encoded by the facial landmarks, were then used for statistical shape analyses.ResultsSmall but significant developmental changes in mean facial shape were observed (p 0.05) between sexes but differed in direction (p 0.05) but varied in directions in the multidimensional shape space.ConclusionsOur findings suggested significant age-related changes in facial shape and provided a dynamic view of developmental changes in sexual dimorphism of facial shape. Allometry contributed minimally to developmental changes in frontal facial shape. In addition, the allometric trajectories for lateral facial configurations were similar in rate of shape change but differed in their directions in shape space.