Artificial Cranial Deformation: Potential Implications for Affected Brain Function

O Brien
2013 Anthropology   unpublished
Introduction The human brain is a complex, fascinating structure of the body which serves many important duties. Brain structure coordinates with brain function and both are interrelated and efficiently rely on one another. Modification of anatomy could result in changes of brain function. Hundreds of years ago, modification was a frequent and common aspect of culture and everyday life in many populations around the world, in particular South America. Skulls have been found which provide
more » ... e that head wrapping techniques were purposefully used to modify the skulls of infants. Research on this topic has produced data and information to discuss artificial cranial deformation (ACD) and increase the awareness on this topic [1,2]. Current research on brain anatomy and function provides knowledge on how the brain works with and throughout the body. A comparisonof modern knowledge of brain capabilities with ancient head molding techniques that affect the skull and brain breeds interest in questioning the implications of ACD on these people. Unfortunately skulls alone cannot give the answers to ACD effects on brain function and anatomy. However, a thorough investigation on the evidence of both modern brain anatomy, evidence from ACD skulls, and consideration of modern conditions such as plagiocephaly attempt to give a well-rounded discussion of the possible implications that ACD had on brain function. Overall, this research works to understand the possible abilities the brain has to recover and overcome cranial deformation, and the pressures these conditions exude on different areas of the brain. Theoretically, ACD could have had the potential to inhibit, sustain, or improve brain function and capability of these individuals. To determine whether these practices were beneficial or disadvantageous to the individuals an overview of ACD, along with a closer examination of the brain anatomy and an understanding of the brain functions are presented.
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