Folia Morphologica (Poland) · Published 2026-02-06 · DOI 10.5603/fm.111208
BACKGROUND: The occipital condyles constitute a key structural component of the craniovertebral junction, providing articulation between the skull and cervical spine and serving as essential landmarks in surgical approaches to the foramen magnum. Their morphology and bilateral symmetry are particularly relevant to both anatomical interpretation and clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on 112 dry human crania from the historical ROMA skeletal collection, housed at the Museum of Anthropology “Giuseppe Sergi” at Sapienza University of Rome. Sex and age were re-evaluated using standard anthropological methods. Macroscopic morphological assessment and bilateral morphometric measurements of the occipital condyles were performed using a digital caliper. The statistical analysis was designed to address specific hypotheses regarding bilateral asymmetry and sexual dimorphism. Tests of normality, parametric and non-parametric comparisons, and the calculation of asymmetry indices were employed to evaluate these aspects. Specifically, tests of asymmetry were chosen to distinguish developmental instability, indicated by fluctuating asymmetry, from size-related dimorphism. These analyzes informed our understanding of the respective contributions of developmental and sexual factors to occipital condyle morphology. RESULTS: No statistically significant sex-related differences were observed in occipital condyle length or width. Age-related analysis revealed a significant difference only for the width of the right occipital condyle, which was greater in younger individuals. Confidence intervals were calculated to estimate the precision of the observed difference. Condylar shape and the presence of the double hypoglossal canal showed no association with sex or age. Bilateral asymmetry analysis demonstrated predominantly fluctuating asymmetry (FA), whereas directional asymmetry was identified only for condylar length in males. Asymmetry index values revealed a significant sex difference in condylar length but not in width. Sexual Dimorphism Index values remained below 5.5% for all parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The occipital condyles in the ROMA series exhibit weak sexual dimorphism, limited age-related variation, and pronounced individual variability.Asymmetry patterns are expressed primarily as FA, suggesting differences in developmental stability rather than size-related dimorphism. These findings emphasize the importance of individualized anatomical assessment of the craniovertebral junction, particularly in clinical and surgical contexts.
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