Kano’s First Female Medical Anatomist Leads New Muscle Discovery
A groundbreaking discovery has been made by a team of researchers led by Dr. Maryam Nasir Aliyu at Northwest University Kano (formerly Yusuf Maitama Sule University Kano). The team identified a previously unrecognized muscle head within the quadriceps group.
This discovery, initially observed during a lower limb dissection class years ago, was validated through a detailed cadaveric study funded by a TETFund Institution Based Research (IBR) Grant.
The newly identified muscle, called the Tensor Vastus Intermedius (TVI), was first described by Grob et al. Dr. Aliyu’s research confirms the consistent presence of this muscle in all dissected specimens across three universities, solidifying its classification as a distinct muscle.
Further investigation revealed that the TVI has its own independent blood supply from branches of the femoral artery and unique nerve innervation from the femoral nerve.
Dr. Maryam Nasir Aliyu, the Principal Investigator, highlighted the significance of the finding, stating:
“This discovery challenges the traditional understanding of the quadriceps muscle group. It suggests the group should more accurately be described as a ‘pentaceps.’ The implications could revolutionize fields like sports medicine, physical therapy, and orthopedic surgery.”
This remarkable achievement positions Dr. Aliyu as a trailblazer in the field of medical anatomy and underscores the vital contributions of Nigerian researchers to global medical science.
