Abstract:

The presence of an additional chromosome in the human as a result of genetic disorder is called Down Syndrome (DS). DS is a genetic difference that leads to the occurrence of many diseases and thus decreases the quality of life. The majority of clinical manifestations of DS are soft tissue features that cannot be assessed in skeletal remains. Phenotypes associated with DS vary. In the skull of DS individuals, symptoms such as thin skull bones, metopic suture, occipital flatness, brachycephalic structure,  little or no developed frontal, maxillar and sphenoid sinuses, low mid facial height, flat facial profile, flattened and small nose, occlusal problems, periodontal diseases, missing teeth, and taurodontism are observed. Our study material is the skull of a 20-30 year old adult female obtained from the excavations in Babacan countryside around Van province. In our study, osteometric measurements were taken from the individual's skull and facial skeleton, and computed tomography (CT) scans were used to provide information about sinus presence and development. The morphological characteristics of the skull of the examined individual show compatibility with DS. The aim of our study is to evaluate the DS findings observed in the adult female individual in Babacan countryside and contribute to the literature by using the previous studies on DS skeletal materials.

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