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A morphometric study of age changes in the human lingual artery
1Department of Oral Pathology, Dental School, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, U.K.
Archives of Oral Biology
|January 1, 1988
Summary
As people age, their lingual arteries thicken and narrow. These arterial changes correlate with the severity of coronary artery stenosis, indicating a link between neck and heart artery health.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Science
- Human Anatomy
- Gerontology
Background:
- The lingual artery, a major vessel supplying the tongue, is crucial for oral health.
- Age-related changes in arterial morphology are common but vary in significance.
- Coronary artery stenosis is a primary indicator of cardiovascular disease risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related morphometric changes in the human lingual artery.
- To determine the relationship between lingual artery morphology and coronary artery stenosis.
Main Methods:
- A morphometric analysis was conducted on 100 human lingual arteries.
- Measurements included wall thickness and lumen-to-artery ratio.
- Correlation with the degree of coronary artery stenosis was assessed.
Main Results:
- Lingual artery wall thickness increased with age.
- The lumen-to-artery ratio decreased significantly with age.
- These morphometric changes were directly related to the severity of coronary artery stenosis.
Conclusions:
- Aging leads to specific structural alterations in the lingual artery.
- Lingual artery morphology serves as a potential indicator of systemic atherosclerosis, particularly coronary artery stenosis.
- Further research could explore lingual artery assessment for cardiovascular risk evaluation.