Prominent nasal bridge
Page most recently updated 7 September 2026
This page focuses on prominent 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 prominent 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 prominent 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.
Prominent nasal bridge
Image credit: National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), Elements of Morphology.
Definition
Subjective: Anterior positioning of the nasal root in comparison to the usual positioning for age.
Note: A prominent nasal bridge can occur irrespective of the width of the nasal bridge, and the width should be assessed separately. The nasal bridge becomes more prominent with age. Although the nasal root may be anteriorly placed without increasing the space between the eyes, prominence of the nasal bridge may be accompanied by Telecanthus or ocular Hypertelorism. If such findings are present, these should be considered separately. Deep-set eyes may lead to the impression of a prominent nasal bridge, but this finding should be considered separately.
Synonyms: High 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.