Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 14, 2026
07:56
Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
18.5K
Age-related trends in vertebral dimensions
Juho-Antti Junno1,2,3, Markus Paananen4, Jaro Karppinen4,5
1Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Journal of Anatomy
|April 28, 2015
Summary
Elderly adults experience age-related changes in vertebral size. This study found vertebral cross-sectional area (CSA) changes similarly in both sexes, challenging the idea of sex-specific adaptations to bone loss.
Area of Science:
- Osteology
- Human Anatomy
- Gerontology
Background:
- Age-related bone loss affects vertebral dimensions.
- Vertebral size may increase in elderly males, potentially compensating for reduced bone mineral density.
- This compensatory mechanism is hypothesized to be absent in elderly women, contributing to higher fracture risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age intervals for vertebral dimension changes.
- To determine if sex differences in vertebral size adaptation are significant.
- To explore compensatory mechanisms for age-related bone loss.
Main Methods:
- Utilized skeletal collections (Terry and Bass) and lumbar spine MRI data.
- Analyzed 4th lumbar vertebra (L4) cross-sectional area (CSA) from 678 individuals.
- Measured vertebral corpus dimensions (width, length) to calculate CSA.
Main Results:
- A moderate association was found between age and vertebral CSA.
- This association was similar across both sexes.
- No significant sex-specific compensatory increase in vertebral size was observed.
Conclusions:
- Vertebral size adaptation to age-related bone loss does not appear to be sex-specific.
- The hypothesis of a sex-specific compensatory mechanism in vertebral size is not supported.
- Further research is needed to understand fracture risk differences in elderly men and women.
Related Concept Videos
01:09Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age
4.1K
The upper and lower limb initially develops as a small bulge called a limb bud, which appears on the lateral side of the early embryo. The upper limb bud appears near the end of the fourth week of development, with the lower limb bud appearing shortly after.
Initially, the limb buds consist of a core of mesenchyme covered by a layer of ectoderm. The ectoderm at the end of the limb bud thickens to form a narrow crest called the apical ectodermal ridge. This ridge stimulates the underlying...
Initially, the limb buds consist of a core of mesenchyme covered by a layer of ectoderm. The ectoderm at the end of the limb bud thickens to form a narrow crest called the apical ectodermal ridge. This ridge stimulates the underlying...
4.1K
01:29Bone Disorders
8.7K
Aging and its effect on bone remodeling is the most common cause of bone disorders. In young and healthy people, bone deposition and resorption happen at an equal rate to maintain optimal bone health.
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
8.7K
01:16Vertebral Column: Regions and Curvature
11.9K
The vertebral column or spine is a flexible column that supports the head, neck, and body and allows for their movements. It also protects the spinal cord.
Regions of the Vertebral Column
In an adult, the spine is subdivided into five regions: the cervical, the thoracic, the lumbar, the sacral, and the coccygeal region. The spine initially develops as a series of 33 vertebrae; after 20 years of age, the nine bones in the sacral region, five sacral, and four coccygeal bones fuse to form...
Regions of the Vertebral Column
In an adult, the spine is subdivided into five regions: the cervical, the thoracic, the lumbar, the sacral, and the coccygeal region. The spine initially develops as a series of 33 vertebrae; after 20 years of age, the nine bones in the sacral region, five sacral, and four coccygeal bones fuse to form...
11.9K
01:30General Structure of a Vertebra
8.5K
A typical vertebra, with the exception of the sacrum and coccyx, consists of a body, a vertebral arch, and seven different projections termed processes. The anterior portion of the vertebrae, the body, supports about half the body’s weight. The vertebral bodies progressively increase in size and thickness from the cervical region to the lumbar region of the vertebral column. The intervertebral discs present between the bodies of adjacent vertebrae firmly unites them, forming a continuous...
8.5K
01:16Spinal Cord: Cross-sectional Anatomy
6.4K
The cross-sectional anatomy of the spinal cord offers a detailed view of its complex structure and function within the central nervous system. At the core of the spinal cord lies the gray matter, characterized by its butterfly or "H"-shaped appearance in cross-section. This central region is enveloped by white matter, with the overall structure divided into symmetrical halves by the dorsal median sulcus and the ventral median fissure.
Gray Matter and its Components
Central to the gray matter is...
Gray Matter and its Components
Central to the gray matter is...
6.4K
01:27Growth of Cartilage and Bone Tissue
4.9K
Chondrocytes form a temporary cartilaginous model by dividing and secreting a thick gel-like extracellular matrix. Once the chondrocytes undergo programmed cell death, osteoblasts enter the site of the cartilaginous model. The process of replacing the temporary cartilaginous model with bone in an ordered manner is called endochondral ossification. In endochondral ossification, not all of the cartilage is replaced by bone tissue. Some cartilage that performs a protective and supportive function...
4.9K