Cortical bone dynamics and age-related osteopenia in a Longobard archaeological sample from three graveyards of the Veneto region (northeast Italy)

Drusini, Andrea G.; Bredariol, Simonetta; Carrara, Nicola; Bonati, Maurizio

doi:10.1002/1099-1212(200007/08)10:4<268::aid-oa529>3.0.co;2-q

Cited by 15 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 29 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…They found an average 1% decrease in rates of cortical femoral mid-shaft bone area between younger and older Pecos Pueblo male adults, but an average 10% decline in females. Similar sex differences in cortical bone dynamics have been documented for Italian samples (Drusini et al, 2000), although in contrast, when analysing data from the oldest age group, Stini (2003) found that in a multi-racial sample of Americans over 80 years of age, BMC bone loss was more rapid in men than in women. Similarly, osteoarthritis is known to affect males and females differently, with the nature, degree and type of joints affected showing sex-specific patterns.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 54%

Morphological changes in the shape of the non‐pathological bony knee joint with age: a morphometric analysis of the distal femur and proximal tibia in three populations of known age at death

Stevens

Viðarsdóttir

2007

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study examines possible morphological variation in the knee joint of Homo sapiens with increasing age in ostensively healthy and non-pathological distal femora and proximal tibiae. Throughout the lifetime of each individual, the hard tissue of the knee undergoes considerable remodelling as a response to biomechanical stresses, changes in bone microarchitecture and reduction of bone mineral content as a concomitant of ageing. The knee is also subject to greater levels of degenerative joint disease than any other joint. If death occurs whilst such diseases are in the earliest stages, initial bone changes may not be visually obvious in museum specimens. If such specimens are used for comparative analyses, it is hypothesised that changes might render it problematic if all ages are conglomerated into discrete samples. This study therefore investigates the degree to which the distal femur and proximal tibia change shape during ageing and, if changes are present, whether they are expressed similarly in males and females. It also examines whether changes are of greater magnitude than those morphological differences which might exist between populations. In an example population of African-Americans, results indicate that there is a statistically significant difference in shape between age groups and those differences become progressively greater between the youngest and oldest adults. Results also show that although morphological variation caused by ageing is apparent, those shape differences attributable to sexual dimorphism are more powerful. When two additional populations are analysed jointly with the African-Americans (Caucasian Americans and the European Spitalfields sample), results indicate that inter-population shape differences are considerably greater than differences caused by increasing age. Results imply that it is justifiable to combine specimens of all ages into discrete samples for comparative purposes.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 54%

Morphological changes in the shape of the non‐pathological bony knee joint with age: a morphometric analysis of the distal femur and proximal tibia in three populations of known age at death

Stevens

Viðarsdóttir

2007

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The study of the effect of age on bone weight shows statistically significant differences for the pooled sample and for both sexes, mainly for the female sample. Concerning the pooled sample, the maximum weight of the skeleton, the bone mass peak, was achieved in the 29-39 year age group, followed by a loss during the next decades, as in most populations (Carlson et al, 1976;Macchiarelli, 1988;Ruff, 1992;Aufderheide & Rodriguez-Martín, 1998;Drusini et al, 2000). In the CEI male sample, bone weight decreased from the 29-39 age group to the 50-59 age group, followed by an increase in the >60 age group.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…Concerning the pooled sample, the maximum weight of the skeleton was achieved in the 29-39 year age group, followed by a loss during the next decades, more marked between the 40-49 and 50-59 age groups (Figure 1; Table 3). In most populations, bone mass peaks in the third or fourth decade (Carlson et al, 1976;Macchiarelli, 1988;Ruff, 1992;Aufderheide & Rodriguez-Martín, 1998;Drusini et al, 2000). After the fourth decade a progressive reduction of bone mass takes place, since there is a shift in the formation/resorption remodelling ratio to a greater degree of resorption.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bone weight: new reference values based on a modern Portuguese identified skeletal collection

Silva

Crubézy

Cunha

2008

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Skeletal weight and/or weight of the different bones of the human skeleton are currently used in a wide range of applications such as archaeological cremations and forensics. Still, few reference values are available that compare the mean weights for the different skeletal parts. In this paper we present new reference values for total skeletal weight, including the weight of the different skeletal bones based on a modern Portuguese Identified Skeletal Collection (CEI) curated in the Museum of Anthropology of the University of Coimbra (Portugal). The mean weight of the entire skeleton for the CEI pooled sample is 3323.8 AE 779.6 g. Sex and age differences were investigated. As expected, males display heavier bones, at a statistically significant level. The mean weight of the male skeletons is 3850 g, and 2797.6 g for the female sample. Age differences were found, especially for the female samples in the 29-39 versus 50-59 and/or >60 age groups, probably as a consequence of age-related bone loss in postmenopausal women. For the male sample, no clear age-related trend was observed but for the unexpected result that the second highest bone weight recorded is in the oldest age group (>60 years). This could result from high mechanical loadings and thus greater bone robusticy and amount of cortical bone. The percentage of weight of the different parts of the skeleton was also calculated. These new values can be quite useful in the study of very fragmentary and/or commingled human remains, recovered from historic or forensic contexts, since the complete identification, by side, of the remains is not necessary.

show abstract

“…It is likely that these differences stem from the fact that femoral cortical bone morphology undergoes more complex changes throughout life in response to weight bearing compared to the non-weight bearing metacarpal cortical bone. A number of studies have documented the changes in femoral cortical bone geometry with increased age between the sexes [11,17,18]. In a study on modern autopsy femoral samples Feik et al [18] found that whilst elderly men and women resemble each other in the circularity of their femoral shafts, significant differences were apparent in bone dimensions between middle and older aged females and younger and middle aged males.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metacarpal radiogrammetry: a useful indicator of bone loss throughout the skeleton?

Ives¹,

Brickley²

2005

Journal of Archaeological Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Cortical bone dynamics and age-related osteopenia in a Longobard archaeological sample from three graveyards of the Veneto region (northeast Italy)

Cited by 15 publications

References 29 publications

Morphological changes in the shape of the non‐pathological bony knee joint with age: a morphometric analysis of the distal femur and proximal tibia in three populations of known age at death

Morphological changes in the shape of the non‐pathological bony knee joint with age: a morphometric analysis of the distal femur and proximal tibia in three populations of known age at death

Bone weight: new reference values based on a modern Portuguese identified skeletal collection

Metacarpal radiogrammetry: a useful indicator of bone loss throughout the skeleton?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About