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Wahl L, Lee R, Olewnik Ł, Iwanaga J, Georgiev GP, Ravi KS, Dumont AS, Tubbs RS. Atavistic muscles in human anatomy: Evolutionary origins and clinical implications. Anat Histol Embryol 2022; 51:321-331. [PMID: 35212413 DOI: 10.1111/ahe.12796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The evolution and variations of human anatomy are of great interest to physicians and anatomists. Variations can be categorized as vestigial, accessory or atavistic structures. Vestigial muscles are frequently encountered structures that are normally present but have become rudimentary through evolution. Muscles that disappeared during evolution sometimes arise again, although rarely; such muscles are referred to as atavistic. They arise from failure of suppression of genetic loci. Some common atavistic muscles seen clinically are the extensor digitorum brevis manus, chondroepitrochlearis and plantaris. Atavistic muscles appear more frequently in the upper limb than in any other region of the human body. One explanation for the appearance of these muscles, mainly within the upper limbs, is based on the evolution of the complex upper extremities formed in humans today. Often, the presence of atavistic muscles is asymptomatic, but they can compromise the function of normal anatomical structures and complicate clinical situations if their presence is unknown. They can cause complications if they are confused with soft tissue pathology, if they compress or displace surrounding structures, or if they require an additional blood supply during times of exercise and stress. The purpose of this paper was to describe the common atavistic muscles, their hypothesized evolutionary origins, their potential complications and possible treatments for the diagnosing clinician.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Wahl
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisina, USA
| | - Rebecca Lee
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George's University, St. George's, Grenada
| | - Łukasz Olewnik
- Department of Anatomical Dissection and Donation, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.,Department of Normal and Clinical Anatomy, Chair of Anatomy and Histology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Joe Iwanaga
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisina, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery and Ochsner Neuroscience Institute, Ochsner Health System, New Orleans, Louisina, USA.,Department of Neurology, Tulane Center for Clinical Neurosciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisina, USA
| | - Georgi P Georgiev
- Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University Hospital Queen Giovanna-ISUL, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Kumar Satish Ravi
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Virbhadra, Rishikesh, India
| | - Aaron S Dumont
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisina, USA
| | - R Shane Tubbs
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisina, USA.,Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George's University, St. George's, Grenada.,Department of Neurosurgery and Ochsner Neuroscience Institute, Ochsner Health System, New Orleans, Louisina, USA.,Department of Neurology, Tulane Center for Clinical Neurosciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisina, USA.,Department of Structural and Cellular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisina, USA.,Department of Surgery, Tulane Center for Clinical Neurosciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisina, USA
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