Depressed nasal bridge
Page most recently updated 7 September 2026
This page focuses on depressed nasal bridge as a morphologic feature of conditions that may also be associated with psychiatric manifestations, such as psychosis, mania, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, OCD, and self-injurious behaviours. The page begins with a clinical definition of depressed nasal bridge based on the standardized Elements of Morphology terminology, together with visual examples from the same source. This is followed by a list of conditions in which depressed nasal bridge has been described in association with psychiatric manifestations.
Of note, to optimize clinical utility, the list does not include conditions associated with intellectual disability in the absence of other psychiatric features.
Each condition listed below is linked to a dedicated page within this resource. These pages describe the psychiatric manifestations associated with each condition, as well as other morphologic and broader clinical features, allowing the differential diagnosis to be considered from multiple perspectives.
Depressed nasal bridge
Although the nasal bridge in infants and toddlers is normally positioned more posteriorly than in older children and adults, it may be considered depressed when it is positioned more posteriorly than expected for age and ethnic background.
Image credit: National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), Elements of Morphology.
Definition
Subjective: Posterior positioning of the nasal root in relation to the overall facial profile for age.
Note: The adjective “depressed” here does not indicate an active process but a status. A depressed nasal bridge can occur irrespective of the width of the nasal bridge, and the width should be assessed independently. In infancy, the nasal bridge is relatively more posterior than in the older person. The term depressed nasal bridge should only be used when the bridge is more posterior than is typical for age and ethnic background.
Synonyms: Recessed nasal bridge; Retruded nasal bridge; Depressed nasal root; Recessed nasal root; Decreased protrusion of the nasal bridge.
Replaces: Low nasal bridge; Flat nasal bridge.
Conditions with potential psychiatric associations
Selected references and further reading — Morphologic lens
Allanson JE, Biesecker LG, Carey JC, Hennekam RCM. Elements of morphology: introduction. Am J Med Genet A. 2009;149A(1):2-5.
Hennekam RCM, Biesecker LG, Allanson JE, Hall JG, Opitz JM, Temple IK, Carey JC; Elements of Morphology Consortium. Elements of morphology: general terms for congenital anomalies. Am J Med Genet A. 2013;161A(11):2726-2733.
Jones KL, Jones MC, del Campo M. Smith's recognizable patterns of human malformation. 8th ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier; 2021.
Reardon W. The bedside dysmorphologist: a guide to identifying and assessing congenital malformations. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2016.