$Unique_ID{BRK04273} $Pretitle{} $Title{Tongue, Fissured} $Subject{Tongue Fissured Furrowed Tongue Lingua Fissurata Lingua Plicata Lingua Scrotalis Plicated Tongue Scrotal Tongue } $Volume{} $Log{} Copyright (C) 1987, 1988, 1989 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. 334: Tongue, Fissured ** IMPORTANT ** It is possible the main title of the article (Fissured Tongue) is not the name you expected. Please check the SYNONYMS listing to find the alternate names and disordered subdivisions covered by this article. Synonyms Furrowed Tongue Lingua Fissurata Lingua Plicata Lingua Scrotalis Plicated Tongue Scrotal Tongue General Discussion ** REMINDER ** The information contained in the Rare Disease Database is provided for educational purposes only. It should not be used for diagnostic or treatment purposes. If you wish to obtain more information about this disorder, please contact your personal physician and/or the agencies listed in the "Resources" section of this report. Fissured Tongue can be either a hereditary condition or it may be acquired. This disorder is characterized by irregular markings of the surface of the tongue. Symptoms Fissured Tongue is characterized by a division into lobules, convolutions, and ridges on the tongue that resemble the skin patterns of the scrotum. The markings on the back of the tongue are exaggerated, and knoblike projections (fungiform papillae) may be prominent. The grooves tend to radiate from the central depression of the tongue, resembling the ribs of a leaf. It is probably a secondary phenomenon, caused by the topography of the underlying muscle bundles. Pain in the tongue (glossodynia) sometimes occurs with this condition. Causes Fissured Tongue may occur in an acquired form or a hereditary form. In the hereditary form the disorder is transmitted as a probably autosomal dominant trait. (Human traits including the classic genetic diseases, are the product of the interaction of two genes for that condition, one received from the father and one from the mother. In dominant disorders, a single copy of the disease gene (received from either the mother or father) will be expressed "dominating" the normal gene and resulting in appearance of the disease. The risk of transmitting the disorder from affected parent to offspring is 50% for each pregnancy regardless of the sex of the resulting child.) This type of Fissured Tongue may also be associated with other primary conditions such as Acromegaly, Down's Syndrome, or Geographic Tongue. (For more information on these disorders, choose "Acromegaly", "Down", and "Geographic Tongue" as your search terms in the Rare Disease Database.) When the disorder is acquired it may be caused by infections such as syphilis, scarlet fever, or typhoid fever. Affected Population Fissured Tongue can affect persons of both sexes, and all ethnic groups. Related Disorders Hairy Tongue is a disorder characterized by yellowish, brownish, blackish, or bluish discoloration of the tongue, with excessive growth of the threadlike elevations (filiform papillae) in front of the tastebuds. A bad taste in the mouth usually also occurs. Geographic Tongue is an inflammation of the tongue that may go into remission and recur again. This form of inflammation is characterized by migrating denuded smooth areas (excoriations) on the tongue which may feel slightly sore and sometimes itchy. (For more information on the above disorders, choose "Hairy Tongue" and "Geographic Tongue" as your search terms in the Rare Disease Database.) In Moeller's Glossitis, the tongue is slick, glossy, or glazed. The lesions are very distressing and persistent. Median Rhomboid Glossitis is a developmental lesion of the tongue. This lesion consists of a smooth, reddish, nodular area on the back portion of the middle third of the tongue. Severe Acute Glossitis can occasionally be caused by local infection, burns, or injury to the tongue. This type of Glossitis may develop rapidly, producing marked tenderness or pain with swelling. The swelling may be sufficient to cause the tongue to block air passages in the most severe cases. Therapies: Standard In Fissured Tongue, oral hygiene is very important to keep the ridges in the tongue free of foreign matter that might otherwise cause inflammation. The symptoms of Fissured Tongue may disappear spontaneously. Therapies: Investigational This disease entry is based upon medical information available through January 1990. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder. Resources For more information on Fissured Tongue, please contact: National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) P.O. Box 8923 New Fairfield, CT 06812-1783 (203) 746-6518 NIH/National Institute of Dental Research 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20892 (301) 496-4261 Clinical Smell and Taste Research Center University of Pennsylvania Hospital 3400 Spruce Street, G1 Philadelphia, PA 19104 (215) 662-2653 Department of Oral Biology Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center University of Connecticut Health Center Farmington, CT 06032 (203) 674-2459 For genetic information and genetic counseling referrals, please contact: March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue White Plains, NY 10605 (914) 428-7100 Alliance of Genetic Support Groups 35 Wisconsin Circle, Suite 440 Chevy Chase, MD 20815 (800) 336-GENE (301) 652-5553 References NONPAINFUL, ERYTHEMATOUS, CIRCINATE LESIONS OF A PROTEAN NATURE ON A FISSURED TONGUE: R. W. Correll, et al.; Journal of the American Dental Association (July 1984, issue 109, 1). Pp. 90-91. GLOSSAL DOUBLE FISSURES IN PRE- AND POST-NATAL HUMAN SPECIMENS: A G. Farman; Journal of Oral Pathology (November 1977, issue 6,6). Pp. 387-395.