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{{Short description|Skin fold of the upper eyelid}}
[[Image:Epicanthicfold.JPG|thumb|250px|Eyes with epicanthic fold (inner sections) on younger East Asian male]]
{{Use British English|date=November 2022}}
[[Image:Epicanthal fold.jpg|thumb|Eye with epicanthic fold on an older East Asian male]]
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
An '''epicanthic fold''', '''epicanthal fold''', or '''epicanthus''' is a [[skin fold]] of the upper [[eyelid]] (from the [[nose]] to the inner side of the eyebrow) covering the inner corner ([[Canthus (anatomy)|medial canthus]]) of the [[eye]]. The trait arises because the eyelid [[muscle]]s are weaker or lower compared with people who do not have this epicanthic fold, resulting in a lower fold in the eyelid, when the eyes are open.
{{Infobox anatomy
| Name = Epicanthic fold
| pronunciation = {{IPAc-en|,|ɛ|p|ɪ|ˌ|k|æ|n|θ|ɪ|k|_|ˈ|f|oʊ|l|d}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Wells|first=John|author-link=John C. Wells|title=Longman Pronunciation Dictionary|publisher=Pearson Longman|edition=3rd|date=3 April 2008|isbn=978-1-4058-8118-0}}</ref>
| synonyms = Epicanthal fold, epicanthus, eye fold,<ref>{{cite web |title=Eye fold |url=http://www.thefreedictionary.com/eyefold}}</ref> [[Mongoloid]] fold,<ref name="Anthropology">{{cite book |first=Ram Narayan |last=Das |title=Sterling Dictionary of Anthropology |publisher=Sterling |year=1997 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AkH911DbJf4C |isbn=9788173590689 }}</ref> palpebronasal fold<ref>{{cite dictionary |url=http://www.medilexicon.com/medicaldictionary.php?s=palpebronasal+fold |title= Palpebronasal Fold - Medical Dictionary Search | dictionary=[[Stedman's Medical Dictionary]] |year= 2006 |access-date=1 October 2009}}</ref>
| Image = Epicanthic KR02.jpg
| Caption = A [[Koreans|Korean]] girl with the skin fold of the upper eyelid covering the inner angle of the eye
| Width =
| Image2 =
| Caption2 =
| Latin = plica palpebronasalis<ref>{{cite news|url=http://health.allrefer.com/health/epicanthal-folds-info.html |title=AllRefer Health – Epicanthal Folds (Plica Palpebronasalis) |publisher=AllRefer.com |access-date=1 October 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100112093315/http://health.allrefer.com/health/epicanthal-folds-info.html |archive-date=12 January 2010 }}</ref>
| Greek =
| Precursor =
| System =
| Artery =
| Vein =
| Nerve =
| Lymph =
}}


An '''epicanthic fold''' or '''epicanthus'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/epicanthus|title=Epicanthus {{!}} definition of epicanthus by Medical dictionary|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref> is a [[skin fold]] of the upper [[eyelid]] that covers the inner corner (medial [[canthus]]) of the [[Human eye|eye]].<ref name="Anthropology"/> However, variation occurs in the nature of this feature and the possession of "partial epicanthic folds" or "slight epicanthic folds" is noted in the relevant literature.<ref>Powell, M. L. (1981) ''Assessment and management of developmental changes and problems in children'', Mosby, Incorporated, p. 38 {{ISBN|9780801615207}}</ref><ref>U. Schilbach, U. and Rott, H-D. (1988) ''Ocular Hypotelorism, Submucosal Cleft Palate, and Hypospadias: A New Autosomal Dominant Syndrome'', American Journal of Medical Genetics 31, pp. 863–870</ref><ref name="Berel2000">{{cite book|editor-last=Lang |editor-first=Berel |year=2000 |title=Race and Racism in Theory and Practice |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VOtU0FzgFPUC&pg=PA10|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|page=10 |isbn=9780847696932}}</ref> Various factors influence whether epicanthic folds form, including ancestry, age, and certain medical conditions.
The term "epicanthic fold" refers to a visually categorized feature; however, there are different underlying causes.


== Etymology ==
==Population distribution==
''Epicanthus'' means 'above the [[canthus]]', with epi-canthus being the Latinized form of the Ancient Greek {{wikt-lang|grc|ἐπί}} {{wikt-lang|grc|κανθός}}: 'corner of the eye'.
The epicanthic fold occurs commonly in people of [[Central Asian]], [[East Asian]] and [[Southeast Asian]] descent as a result of adaptive significance, such as the [[Mongols]], [[Hazara people|Hazaras]], [[Han Chinese|Chinese]], [[Koreans]], [[Japanese people|Japanese]], [[Vietnamese people|Vietnamese]], [[Kazakhs]] and some [[South Asia|South]] and [[Southeast Asia]]ns like [[Bamar|Burmese]], [[Filipino people|Filipino]], [[Khmer people|Cambodian]], [[Ethnic Malays|Malays]], [[Thai people|Thai]], [[Bhutanese]], Northern [[Nepali people|Nepali]], [[Tibetan people|Tibetans]], [[Ladakh]]is and others. It also occurs in [[Inuit]], [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]], [[Afro-Asian]]s, [[Khoisan]]s ([[Capoid]]s) in [[Africa]] and [[Madagascar]], and certain groups from southern Sudan such as the [[Dinka]] and the [[Nuer]]. Epicanthic folds can also be found inherited among some Oceanic peoples including [[Tongans]], [[Samoans]], [[Micronesia]]ns, and [[Native Hawaiians|Hawaiians]].


== Classification ==
The epicanthic fold occurs more frequently among persons of East Asian descent than among southeast Asians or [[south Asians]].
[[File:Epicanthicfold-highlighted.JPG|right|thumb|300px|This image highlights the epicanthic folds in a person of [[Mongol]] descent.]]


Variation in the shape of the epicanthic fold has led to four types being recognised:
==Conditions underlying expression==
===Evolutionary===
The epicanthic fold is normal for persons of certain ethnicities mentioned above.


* '''''Epicanthus supraciliaris''''' runs from the brow, curving downwards towards the [[lachrymal sac]].
One [[hypothesis]] as to why epicanthic folds came about involves the [[climates]] in which populations expressing them arose. Sunlight reflects more intensely off light colored surfaces, such as those prevalent in snowy regions or savannahs and deserts. The theory is that an epicanthic fold in such an environment would expose a narrower section of the eye to incoming light, reducing the amount of damaging UV radiation entering the eye. The trait may also be useful against strong winds.{{fact|date= September 2008}} With regard to the vast dry grasslands of the savannah regions, the yellow grasses also reflect and intensify sunlight. Additionally, analogous conditions are present among desert groups such as the [[Dinka]] or [[Nuer]] of Sudan <ref name="Hassan1962">Hassan, M. (1962) “Mongolism in Sudanese Children”, J Trop Pediatr. 8: 48-50</ref> who live in environments in which sunlight reflects off the light colored sands of the desert.
* '''''Epicanthus palpebralis''''' begins above the upper [[Tarsus (eyelids)|tarsus]] and extends to the inferior orbital rim.
* '''''Epicanthus tarsalis''''' originates at the upper eyelid crease and merges into the skin near the medial canthus. This is the type most often found in East Asians.
* '''''Epicanthus inversus''''' runs from the lower eyelid skin over the medial canthus and extends to the upper lid.<ref>Nguyen, M.Q., Hsu, P.W. and Dinh, T.A. (2009) ''Asian Blepharoplasty'', Semin Plast Surg. 2009 Aug; 23(3), pp. 185–197 doi: 10.1055/s-0029-1224798, p. 189</ref>


== Ethnogeographic distribution ==
The certain people of African descent (ex. the [[Khoisan]] and the [[Dinka]]) as well as the majority of East Asian descended peoples express this trait.


=== High-frequency populations ===
===Medical===
The highest frequency of occurrence of epicanthic folds is found in specific populations or ethnicities: [[East Asians]], [[Southeast Asians]], [[Central Asians]], [[North Asians]], [[Polynesians]], [[Micronesians]], [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas]], and some [[African people]] (especially among [[Khoisan]] and [[Nilotic people]]). Among [[South Asians]], they occur at very high frequencies among the [[Nepalis]], [[Bhutan]]ese,<ref name="LivingRacesofMan">{{cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qepKAAAAYAAJ |title=The Living Races of Man |first1=Carleton Stevens |last1=Coon |first2=Edward E. |last2=Hunt |author1-link=Carleton S. Coon |author2-link=Edward Eyre Hunt Jr. |date=21 April 1966 |publisher=Cape |via=Google Books}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=August 2021|reason=Coon's work contains a lot of valuable data, but as a whole it is considered pseudo-scientific today}} [[Northeast India]]ns,<ref name="LivingRacesofMan" /> [[Kirati people]] and certain [[Adivasi]]<ref name="LivingRacesofMan" /> tribes of [[East India|Eastern]] and [[South India|Southern India]]. It is also commonly found in [[North India|Northern India]], especially in [[Kashmir]]. The [[Hazaras|Hazara people]] in Afghanistan and Pakistan commonly have this trait. Some people in Eastern/Northern Pakistan have this trait.
If epicanthic fold appears on persons that traditionally don't display the characterstics, it can be a sign of a number of disorders coupled with other symptoms like retardation, weak muscles, etc.


In some of these populations, the trait is almost universal. This is especially true in East Asians and Southeast Asians, where a majority, up to 90% in some estimations, of adults have this feature.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lee |first1=Yoonho |last2=Lee |first2=Euitae |last3=Park |first3=Won Jin |title=Anchor Epicanthoplasty Combined with OutFold Type Double Eyelidplasty for Asians: Do We Have to Make an Additional Scar to Correct the Asian Epicanthal Fold? |journal=Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery |date=2000 |volume=105|issue=5 |pages=1866-70; discussion 1871 |doi=10.1097/00006534-200004050-00040 |pmid=10809118 |url=https://journals.lww.com/plasreconsurg/Abstract/2000/04050/Anchor_Epicanthoplasty_Combined_with_OutFold_Type.40.aspx}} {{closed access}}</ref>
Epicanthic fold can be a result of low genetic diversity characteristics caused by [[inbreeding depression]], [[pedigree collapse]], [[cultural isolation]], [[endogamy]], etc. or medical conditions like [[Down syndrome]], [[Cri du chat]] and [[Williams syndrome]], three chromosomal abnormalities that are associated with severe intellectual disability. Another condition in which this is seen is [[Triple-X syndrome]], a chromosomal abnormality that does not necessarily impair intelligence, [[fetal alcohol syndrome]].<ref>[http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003030.htm MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia]</ref>, [[Cri du Chat]] syndrome, [[Triple-X syndrome]], [[Ehlers-Danlos syndrome]] and/or [[premature birth|pre-term birth]].


=== In children ===
=== Lower-frequency populations ===
Epicanthic folds also occur, at a considerably lower frequency, in other populations: [[Europeans]] (e.g., [[Scandinavians]], [[English people|English]], [[Irish people|Irish]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/08/science/q-a-061233.html|title=Q&A|date=8 October 1985|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=12 November 2016}}</ref> [[Hungarians]], [[Russians]], [[Polish people|Poles]], [[Lithuanians]], [[Latvians]], [[Finns]], [[Estonians]] and [[Samis]]),<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=epicanthic fold (anatomy)|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/189688/epicanthic-fold|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=25 April 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Montagu |first=A. |year=1989 |title=Growing Young |publisher=Bergin & Garvey |location=Granby, Mass |edition=2nd |isbn=978-0-89789-166-0 }}</ref> [[Jews]], South Asians ([[Bengalis]],<ref name="LivingRacesofMan" /> [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]],<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1525/aa.1963.65.3.02a00260 |volume=65 |issue=3 |title=The Physical Anthropology of Ceylon. Howard W. Stoudt. |journal=American Anthropologist |pages=694–695 |year=1963 |last1=Angel |first1=J. Lawrence|doi-access=free }}</ref> among other groups in eastern and southern South Asia),<ref name="LivingRacesofMan" /> [[Nilotes]], [[Cushitic peoples|Cushites]], and [[Amazigh]] people.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Mongolism in Sudanese children|journal=Journal of Tropical Pediatrics|date=September 1962|volume=8|issue=2|pages=48–50|pmid=13905256|doi=10.1093/oxfordjournals.tropej.a057626|last1=Hassan|first1=M. M.}}</ref>
All humans initially develop epicanthic folds in the womb. Some children lose them by birth, but epicanthic folds may also be seen in young children of any [[ethnicity]] before the bridge of the [[nose]] begins to elevate. They may persist where birth is pre-term, and sometimes also where the mother is alcoholic. <ref name="fetalalcoholsyndrome">{{cite web | title=Ophthalmic Involvement in the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Clinical and Animal Model Studies | work=Journal of Alcohol and Alcoholism | url=http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/37/1/2 | accessdate=16 November | accessyear=2007}}</ref>


=== Perception and attribution ===
Epicanthic folds can cause a child's eyes to appear crossed, a scenario known as [[pseudostrabismus]].
[[File:Jens Byggmark Schladming 2008.jpg|thumb|Swedish ski racer [[Jens Byggmark]] with an epicanthic fold over his left eye.|alt=]]
The degree of development of the fold between individuals varies greatly, and attribution of its presence or absence is often subjective, being to a degree relative to the occurrence of the trait within the community of the specific observer. Also, its frequency varies but can be found in peoples all over the world. Its use, therefore, as a [[phenotypic]] marker to define biological populations is debatable.<ref name="Berel2000" />


== Possible evolutionary function ==
=== Inheritance ===
The epicanthic fold is often associated with greater levels of fat deposition around the eyeball. The adipose tissue is thought to provide greater insulation for the eye and sinuses from the effects of cold, especially from freezing winds, and to represent an adaptation to cold climates. It has also been postulated that the fold itself may provide a level of protection from [[snow blindness]]. Though its appearance in peoples of Southeast Asia can be linked to possible descent from cold-adapted ancestors, its occurrence in various African peoples is not open to this explanation. The epicanthic fold found in many African people has been tentatively linked to protection for the eye from the high levels of [[ultraviolet]] light found in desert and semi-desert areas.<ref>{{cite book|editor-last=Lang |editor-first=Berel |year=2000 |title=Race and Racism in Theory and Practice |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VOtU0FzgFPUC&pg=PA10|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|pages=10–11 |isbn=9780847696932}}</ref>
[[Image:NehNeh.jpg|thumb|A man from a mixed race background with an epicanthic fold.]]
Children who have one parent with a pronounced epicanthic fold as non-medical reason and one without can have varying degrees of epicanthic fold.


The exact evolutionary function and origin of epicanthic folds remains unknown. Scientific explanations include either random variation and selection (presumably [[sexual selection]]), or possible adaption to desert environment and/or high levels of ultraviolet light found in high-altitude environments, such as the [[Himalayas]].
== Surgical alteration ==
In some Asian ethnicities, the presence of an epicanthic fold is associated with a less prominent upper [[eyelid crease]], commonly termed "single eyelids" as opposed to "double eyelids". The two features are distinct; a person may have both epicanthic fold and upper eyelid crease, one or neither.


Dr. Frank Poirier, a physical anthropologist at Ohio State University, said that the epicanthic fold among Asian people is often explained as part of an adaptation to severe cold or tropical environments, however he suggests that neither of these explanations are sufficient to explain its presence in East and Southeast Asia, and notes that the fold can also be observed in [[Irish people|Irish]] and African people. He attributes the epicanthic fold to [[pleiotrophic]] genes that control for more than one characteristic or function. He also did not offer an explanation for the origin of epicanthic folds.<ref>{{cite news |title=ORIGIN OF SHAPE OF ASIAN EYES IS STILL A MYSTERY TO SCIENTISTS |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-10-13-8503100141-story.html |work=Chicago Tribune}} "Dr. Frank Poirier, a physical anthropologist at Ohio State University, says the classical explanation of epicanthic fold depicts it as an adaptation to the tropical and arctic regions where many Asians live. The fold is described as a sun visor protecting the eyes from overexposure to ultraviolet radiation or as a blanket insulating them from the cold. According to Poirier, the problem with this theory is that a substantial portion of the Asian population evolved in areas outside of the tropical and arctic regions. In addition, he says epicanthic fold is not limited to Asians. ''John F. Kennedy had a variance of the fold and it is found among Europeans, especially the Irish,'' he said. ''It`s just less prevalent.'' The fold is also found among infants worldwide. Poirier attributes the fold to pleiotropic genes--single genes that control more than one characteristic or function--but he has no explanation for its origin."</ref>
The procedure of reducing or removing epicanthic folds is [[epicanthoplasty]]. It is now an extremely rare procedure. [[Asian blepharoplasty]], however, is a popular form of [[cosmetic surgery]] in East Asia. The use of "[[eyelid glue]]" or "eyelid tape" (sometimes referred to as "eye glue" or "eye tape") is used to create the appearance of the "double eyelid" by finding a "natural fold" in the eyelid and tucking it in and holding it with an adhesive.

== Other factors ==
[[File:Bosquimanos-Grassland Bushmen Lodge, Botswana 03.jpg|thumb|The [[Khoisan]] and some other African groups have a high frequency of the epicanthic fold.]]

=== Age ===
Many [[fetus]]es lose their epicanthic folds after three to six months of gestation.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Park JI |date=1 January 2000 |title=Modified Z-Epicanthoplasty in the Asian Eyelid |url=http://archfaci.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=479760 |journal=Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery |volume=2 |issue=1 |pages=43–47 |issn=1521-2491 |doi=10.1001/archfaci.2.1.43 |pmid=10925423}}</ref> Epicanthic folds may be visible in the development stages of young children of any ethnicity, especially before the nose bridge fully develops.<ref>{{cite web |title=Epicanthal folds |url=https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003030.htm |website=MedlinePlus |publisher=U.S National Library of Medicine}}</ref>

=== Medical conditions ===
Epicanthic fold prevalence can sometimes be found as a sign of congenital abnormality, such as in [[Zellweger syndrome]]<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kalyanasundaram |first1=S. |first2=Samuel E. |last2=Ibhanesebhor |first3=Chikkanayakanahalli M. |last3=Manjunatha |year=2010 |display-authors=1 |title=Peroxisomal Disorder-Unusual Presentation as Failure to Thrive in Early Infancy |journal=Indian Journal of Pediatrics |volume=77 |issue=10 |pages=1151–1152 |doi=10.1007/s12098-010-0199-6 |pmid=20872098 |s2cid=5736554 }}</ref> and [[Noonan syndrome]]. Medical conditions that cause the nasal bridge not to develop and project are also associated with epicanthic fold. About 60% of individuals with [[Down syndrome]] (also known as trisomy 21) have prominent epicanthic folds.<ref name=Steph2010>{{cite book |last1=Hammer |first1=Gary, D. |last2=McPhee |first2=Stephen J. |title=Pathophysiology of Disease: An Introduction to Clinical Medicine |year=2010 |publisher=McGraw-Hill Medical |location=New York |isbn=978-0-07-162167-0 |edition=6 |chapter=Pathophysiology of Selected Genetic Diseases}}</ref><ref>Pham, V. (2010). COMMON OTOLARYNGOLOGICAL CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES. UTMB, Dept. of Otolaryngology. [http://www.utmb.edu/otoref/grnds/congenital-abnormal-101122/congen-abnom-101122.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006044747/http://www.utmb.edu/otoref/Grnds/congenital-abnormal-101122/congen-abnom-101122.pdf|date=6 October 2011}}</ref>

Other examples are [[fetal alcohol syndrome]], [[phenylketonuria]], and [[Turner syndrome]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003030.htm |title=Epicanthal folds |first1=Neil K. |last1=Kaneshiro |first2=David |last2=Zieve |first3=Isla |last3=Ogilvie |work=[[MedlinePlus]]}}</ref>


== See also ==
== See also ==
* [[Blepharitis]]
* [[Epicanthoplasty]], the surgical modification of epicanthic folds
* [[Human physical appearance]]
* [[Human physical appearance]]


== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
<references />


== External links ==
== External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline}}
* [http://waynesword.palomar.edu/images/epican1.jpg Mother-daughter comparison photos]
* [http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/9298.htm Drawing of male face]
* [http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/17169.htm Drawing of female eye]


{{Accessory organs of the eye|state=collapsed}}
[[Category:Eye]]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Human eye anatomy]]
[[Category:Facial features]]
[[Category:Facial features]]
[[Category:Skin anatomy]]
[[Category:Skin anatomy]]
[[Category:Eye]]

[[de:Epikanthus medialis]]
[[es:Brida mongólica]]
[[it:Epicanto]]
[[lt:Epikantas]]
[[nl:Amandelogen]]
[[no:Epikantisk fold]]
[[pl:Zmarszczka nakątna]]
[[pt:Epicanto]]
[[ru:Эпикантус]]
[[fi:Mongolipoimu]]
[[sv:Mongolveck]]
[[uk:Епікантус]]
[[zh:內眥贅皮]]

Latest revision as of 21:33, 24 November 2024

Epicanthic fold
A Korean girl with the skin fold of the upper eyelid covering the inner angle of the eye
Details
SynonymsEpicanthal fold, epicanthus, eye fold,[2] Mongoloid fold,[3] palpebronasal fold[4]
Pronunciation/ˌɛpɪˌkænθɪk ˈfoʊld/[5]
Identifiers
Latinplica palpebronasalis[1]
TA98A15.2.07.028
TA2211
FMA59370
Anatomical terminology

An epicanthic fold or epicanthus[6] is a skin fold of the upper eyelid that covers the inner corner (medial canthus) of the eye.[3] However, variation occurs in the nature of this feature and the possession of "partial epicanthic folds" or "slight epicanthic folds" is noted in the relevant literature.[7][8][9] Various factors influence whether epicanthic folds form, including ancestry, age, and certain medical conditions.

Etymology

[edit]

Epicanthus means 'above the canthus', with epi-canthus being the Latinized form of the Ancient Greek ἐπί κανθός: 'corner of the eye'.

Classification

[edit]
This image highlights the epicanthic folds in a person of Mongol descent.

Variation in the shape of the epicanthic fold has led to four types being recognised:

  • Epicanthus supraciliaris runs from the brow, curving downwards towards the lachrymal sac.
  • Epicanthus palpebralis begins above the upper tarsus and extends to the inferior orbital rim.
  • Epicanthus tarsalis originates at the upper eyelid crease and merges into the skin near the medial canthus. This is the type most often found in East Asians.
  • Epicanthus inversus runs from the lower eyelid skin over the medial canthus and extends to the upper lid.[10]

Ethnogeographic distribution

[edit]

High-frequency populations

[edit]

The highest frequency of occurrence of epicanthic folds is found in specific populations or ethnicities: East Asians, Southeast Asians, Central Asians, North Asians, Polynesians, Micronesians, Indigenous peoples of the Americas, and some African people (especially among Khoisan and Nilotic people). Among South Asians, they occur at very high frequencies among the Nepalis, Bhutanese,[11][better source needed] Northeast Indians,[11] Kirati people and certain Adivasi[11] tribes of Eastern and Southern India. It is also commonly found in Northern India, especially in Kashmir. The Hazara people in Afghanistan and Pakistan commonly have this trait. Some people in Eastern/Northern Pakistan have this trait.

In some of these populations, the trait is almost universal. This is especially true in East Asians and Southeast Asians, where a majority, up to 90% in some estimations, of adults have this feature.[12]

Lower-frequency populations

[edit]

Epicanthic folds also occur, at a considerably lower frequency, in other populations: Europeans (e.g., Scandinavians, English, Irish,[13] Hungarians, Russians, Poles, Lithuanians, Latvians, Finns, Estonians and Samis),[14][15] Jews, South Asians (Bengalis,[11] Sinhalese,[16] among other groups in eastern and southern South Asia),[11] Nilotes, Cushites, and Amazigh people.[17]

Perception and attribution

[edit]
Swedish ski racer Jens Byggmark with an epicanthic fold over his left eye.

The degree of development of the fold between individuals varies greatly, and attribution of its presence or absence is often subjective, being to a degree relative to the occurrence of the trait within the community of the specific observer. Also, its frequency varies but can be found in peoples all over the world. Its use, therefore, as a phenotypic marker to define biological populations is debatable.[9]

Possible evolutionary function

[edit]

The epicanthic fold is often associated with greater levels of fat deposition around the eyeball. The adipose tissue is thought to provide greater insulation for the eye and sinuses from the effects of cold, especially from freezing winds, and to represent an adaptation to cold climates. It has also been postulated that the fold itself may provide a level of protection from snow blindness. Though its appearance in peoples of Southeast Asia can be linked to possible descent from cold-adapted ancestors, its occurrence in various African peoples is not open to this explanation. The epicanthic fold found in many African people has been tentatively linked to protection for the eye from the high levels of ultraviolet light found in desert and semi-desert areas.[18]

The exact evolutionary function and origin of epicanthic folds remains unknown. Scientific explanations include either random variation and selection (presumably sexual selection), or possible adaption to desert environment and/or high levels of ultraviolet light found in high-altitude environments, such as the Himalayas.

Dr. Frank Poirier, a physical anthropologist at Ohio State University, said that the epicanthic fold among Asian people is often explained as part of an adaptation to severe cold or tropical environments, however he suggests that neither of these explanations are sufficient to explain its presence in East and Southeast Asia, and notes that the fold can also be observed in Irish and African people. He attributes the epicanthic fold to pleiotrophic genes that control for more than one characteristic or function. He also did not offer an explanation for the origin of epicanthic folds.[19]

Other factors

[edit]
The Khoisan and some other African groups have a high frequency of the epicanthic fold.

Age

[edit]

Many fetuses lose their epicanthic folds after three to six months of gestation.[20] Epicanthic folds may be visible in the development stages of young children of any ethnicity, especially before the nose bridge fully develops.[21]

Medical conditions

[edit]

Epicanthic fold prevalence can sometimes be found as a sign of congenital abnormality, such as in Zellweger syndrome[22] and Noonan syndrome. Medical conditions that cause the nasal bridge not to develop and project are also associated with epicanthic fold. About 60% of individuals with Down syndrome (also known as trisomy 21) have prominent epicanthic folds.[23][24]

Other examples are fetal alcohol syndrome, phenylketonuria, and Turner syndrome.[25]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "AllRefer Health – Epicanthal Folds (Plica Palpebronasalis)". AllRefer.com. Archived from the original on 12 January 2010. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
  2. ^ "Eye fold".
  3. ^ a b Das, Ram Narayan (1997). Sterling Dictionary of Anthropology. Sterling. ISBN 9788173590689.
  4. ^ "Palpebronasal Fold - Medical Dictionary Search". Stedman's Medical Dictionary. 2006. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
  5. ^ Wells, John (3 April 2008). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (3rd ed.). Pearson Longman. ISBN 978-1-4058-8118-0.
  6. ^ "Epicanthus | definition of epicanthus by Medical dictionary". Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  7. ^ Powell, M. L. (1981) Assessment and management of developmental changes and problems in children, Mosby, Incorporated, p. 38 ISBN 9780801615207
  8. ^ U. Schilbach, U. and Rott, H-D. (1988) Ocular Hypotelorism, Submucosal Cleft Palate, and Hypospadias: A New Autosomal Dominant Syndrome, American Journal of Medical Genetics 31, pp. 863–870
  9. ^ a b Lang, Berel, ed. (2000). Race and Racism in Theory and Practice. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 10. ISBN 9780847696932.
  10. ^ Nguyen, M.Q., Hsu, P.W. and Dinh, T.A. (2009) Asian Blepharoplasty, Semin Plast Surg. 2009 Aug; 23(3), pp. 185–197 doi: 10.1055/s-0029-1224798, p. 189
  11. ^ a b c d e Coon, Carleton Stevens; Hunt, Edward E. (21 April 1966). "The Living Races of Man". Cape – via Google Books.
  12. ^ Lee, Yoonho; Lee, Euitae; Park, Won Jin (2000). "Anchor Epicanthoplasty Combined with OutFold Type Double Eyelidplasty for Asians: Do We Have to Make an Additional Scar to Correct the Asian Epicanthal Fold?". Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 105 (5): 1866–70, discussion 1871. doi:10.1097/00006534-200004050-00040. PMID 10809118. Closed access icon
  13. ^ "Q&A". The New York Times. 8 October 1985. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  14. ^ "epicanthic fold (anatomy)". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  15. ^ Montagu, A. (1989). Growing Young (2nd ed.). Granby, Mass: Bergin & Garvey. ISBN 978-0-89789-166-0.
  16. ^ Angel, J. Lawrence (1963). "The Physical Anthropology of Ceylon. Howard W. Stoudt". American Anthropologist. 65 (3): 694–695. doi:10.1525/aa.1963.65.3.02a00260.
  17. ^ Hassan, M. M. (September 1962). "Mongolism in Sudanese children". Journal of Tropical Pediatrics. 8 (2): 48–50. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.tropej.a057626. PMID 13905256.
  18. ^ Lang, Berel, ed. (2000). Race and Racism in Theory and Practice. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 10–11. ISBN 9780847696932.
  19. ^ "ORIGIN OF SHAPE OF ASIAN EYES IS STILL A MYSTERY TO SCIENTISTS". Chicago Tribune. "Dr. Frank Poirier, a physical anthropologist at Ohio State University, says the classical explanation of epicanthic fold depicts it as an adaptation to the tropical and arctic regions where many Asians live. The fold is described as a sun visor protecting the eyes from overexposure to ultraviolet radiation or as a blanket insulating them from the cold. According to Poirier, the problem with this theory is that a substantial portion of the Asian population evolved in areas outside of the tropical and arctic regions. In addition, he says epicanthic fold is not limited to Asians. John F. Kennedy had a variance of the fold and it is found among Europeans, especially the Irish, he said. It`s just less prevalent. The fold is also found among infants worldwide. Poirier attributes the fold to pleiotropic genes--single genes that control more than one characteristic or function--but he has no explanation for its origin."
  20. ^ Park JI (1 January 2000). "Modified Z-Epicanthoplasty in the Asian Eyelid". Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery. 2 (1): 43–47. doi:10.1001/archfaci.2.1.43. ISSN 1521-2491. PMID 10925423.
  21. ^ "Epicanthal folds". MedlinePlus. U.S National Library of Medicine.
  22. ^ Kalyanasundaram, S.; et al. (2010). "Peroxisomal Disorder-Unusual Presentation as Failure to Thrive in Early Infancy". Indian Journal of Pediatrics. 77 (10): 1151–1152. doi:10.1007/s12098-010-0199-6. PMID 20872098. S2CID 5736554.
  23. ^ Hammer, Gary, D.; McPhee, Stephen J. (2010). "Pathophysiology of Selected Genetic Diseases". Pathophysiology of Disease: An Introduction to Clinical Medicine (6 ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Medical. ISBN 978-0-07-162167-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ Pham, V. (2010). COMMON OTOLARYNGOLOGICAL CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES. UTMB, Dept. of Otolaryngology. [1] Archived 6 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  25. ^ Kaneshiro, Neil K.; Zieve, David; Ogilvie, Isla. "Epicanthal folds". MedlinePlus.
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