Summary
Age-related changes in femoral cortical bone were quantified in an age-graded series of human cadavers. Variables included in this study were cortical thickness, bone mineral content, cortical bone density, summed Haversian canal area, Haversian canal number, and mean Haversian canal area. Females showed significant (P<0.05) decreases in cortical thickness, bone mineral content, and cortical bone density when plotted against age. Males exhibited slight nonsignificant declines for cortical thickness, bone mineral content, and cortical bone density. Both males and females exhibited significant (P<0.05) age-related increases in summed Haversian canal area values and Haversian canal number. Females as a group were found to exhibit significantly (P<0.05) larger mean Haversian canal area values compared with males, but the male group exhibited more Haversian canals per unit area of cortical bone compared with females.
Intercorrelations between the bone mineral index and summed Haversian canal area and between cortical bone density and summed Haversian canal area define the role of increasing Haversian canal number and mean canal size per unit area of cortical bone as a factor in the reduction of bone mass as a function of age. Partial correlations between the bone mass variables and the variables assessing Haversian canal size and number further support this argument.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Garn, S.M.: The Earlier Gain and the Later Loss of Cortical Bone. Charles C Thomas, Springfield, Ill., 1970
Smith, R.W., Walker, R.R.: Femoral expansion in aging women: implications for osteoporosis and fractures, Science145:156–157, 1964
Meema, H.E.: The occurrence of cortical bone atrophy in old age and in osteoporosis. J. Can. Assoc. Radiol.13:27–32, 1962
Mazess, R.B., Cameron, J.R.: Bone mineral content in normal U.S. whites. In R.B. Mazess (ed.): Proceedings of the International Conference on Bone Mineral Measurement, pp. 228–238. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1973
Trotter, M., Hixon, B.B.: Sequential changes in weight, density, and percentage ash weight of human skeletons from an early fetal period through old age, Anat. Rec.179:1–18, 1976
Thompson, D.D.: Age-related changes in osteon remodeling and bone mineralization, Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 1978
Carlson, D.S., Armelagos, G.J., Van Gerven, D.P.: Patterns of age-related cortical bone loss (osteoporosis) within the femoral diaphysis, Hum. Biol.48:295–314, 1976
Atkinson, P.J.: Quantitative analysis in cortical bone, Nature201:373–375, 1964
Jowsey, J.: Age changes in human bone, Clin. Orthop.17:210–217, 1960
Frost, H.M.: Microscopy: depth of focus, optical sectioning, and integrating eyepiece measurement, Henry Ford Hosp. Med. Bull.10:267–285, 1962
Weibel, E.R.: Stereological principles for morphometry in electron microscopic cytology, Int. Rev. Cytol.26:235–302, 1969
Dequeker, J.: Bone Loss in Normal and Pathological Conditions. Leuven University Press, Leuven, Belgium, 1972
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Thompson, D.D. Age changes in bone mineralization, cortical thickness, and Haversian canal area. Calcif Tissue Int 31, 5–11 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02407161
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02407161