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BAHSM > 1 - Age Estimation of the Human Skeleton > Flashcards

1 - Age Estimation of the Human Skeleton Flashcards

1
Q

What forms the basis for age estimation in the human skeleton?

A

1) Age results in linear increases in bone dimensions
2) Appearance and fusion of ossification centres occurs at similar points in development
3) Predictable / averaged eruption of teeth, their loss and also their replacement

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2
Q

What features can help identify juvenile bones?

A

1) Size
2) Proportions
3) Texture (undulating, granular articulating surfaces)
4) Fusion - or lack thereof

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3
Q

What 3 skeletal features provide accurate age estimation in fetal / infant skeletons?

A

Femur length (in utero)

Dental development (infant)

Bone fusion

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4
Q

What are 5 features of deciduous teeth?

A

Small
Constricted neck
Bulging crown

Roots of ANTERIOR teeth are elongated.

Roots of POSTERIOR teeth are flared.

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5
Q

In the context of ageing, which 3 categories of fusing bones are useful age estimation tools up until early adult life?

A

Midline fusions:

  • Mandible (6-9 months)
  • Frontal bone (1-2 years)

Epiphyseal fusion:
- Femur / hip bone (13-20 years) [puberty]

Late-fusing centres

  • Medial clavicle
  • Sacral bodies
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6
Q

What 3 aspects make up dental development?

A

Crown formation
Root formation
Eruption

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7
Q

What are the chronological changes that occur at the medial surface of the pubic symphysis?

Adolescent
Increasing age
Adult

A

Adolescent:

  • Horizontal grooves
  • No margin

Increasing age:

  • Infilling of grooves
  • Thicker margin
  • Rim around joint surface

Old age:

  • Irregular margin
  • Pitted / porous surface
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8
Q

Which two groups of individuals developed pubic symphysis age estimations?

A

Suchey and Brooks

Todd, McKern and Stewart

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9
Q

Describe the functionality of Suchey and Brook’s age estimation method?

A

6 stages of sequential increasing age

Variation within each stage is accounted for with ‘early’ and ‘late’ examples.

**Separate age estimations exist for male and female.

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10
Q

Each phase in Suchey and Brooks has variation in age estimation. What happens to this variation with increasing phase number?

A

Increases.

Greater scatter, and becomes more positively skewed.

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11
Q

What age ranges are covered in Suchey and Brook’s symphysis age estimation tool?

A

10-80 years

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12
Q

Why might the data of higher phases within Suchey and Brooks have occurred?

A

Mismatch between chronological age and skeletal age - greater extent.

Environmental factors, lifestyle etc.

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13
Q

What two reasons explain why the first molar usually more worn in comparison to the third molar?

A

1) Eruption occurs 6 years apart.

M1 = 6
M2 = 12
M3 = 18

2) Usually a greater occlusal load on M1

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14
Q

What 3 factors can also rate of molar wear?

A

Diet
Disease
Non-dietary usage

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15
Q

What 3 causes of dental wear exist? And what is each one?

A

Attrition - inter-tooth contact

Abrasion - hard particulates

Erosion - chemical dissolution

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16
Q

What two microscopic dental markers within enamel can provide estimation into age at death?

A

Perikymata on enamel

Striae of retzius

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17
Q

How frequently do striae of Retzius occur?

A

7-8 day intervals

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18
Q

In bones, what radiological finding can show periods of halted growth?

A

Harris lines

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19
Q

Periods lacking in tooth development results in what finding?

A

Linear enamel hypoplasia

20
Q

What type of process is most commonly used to determine age of adult skeletons?

A

Degenerative processes

21
Q

What issue occurs with age estimation and increasing age however?

For what reasons?

A

Becomes less accurate with increasing age.

Greater variability due to factors such as diet, physical activity, trauma and disease.

22
Q

What 4 features are analysed when age-estimating the auricular surface of the ilium?

A

1) Transverse organisation
2) Granularity
3) Porosity
4) Joint surface margin

23
Q

What is the Spitalfield’s Known-age collection?

A

Sum of 5 scores to give a total score and subsequent age estimate.

24
Q

What 5 scores are used within the revised auricular surface method?

A

1) Transverse organisation
2) Surface texture
3) Microporosity
4) Macroporosity
5) Apical changes

25
Q

What ages do the skull fontanelles close in the infant?

A

1) Posterior: 3-6 months
2) Anterolateral: ~6 months
3) Posterolateral: 6-12 months
4) Anterior: 12-36 months

26
Q

What two methods of age-estimation are there for assessing molar wear?

A

Mile’s molar wear

Brothwell

27
Q

What changes are visible in the trabeculae of the humeral / femoral head that occur with ageing?

A

Cortical thinning

Trabecular cavitation

28
Q

Suchey and Brooks has what feature that caters for the whole population?

A

Male and female ageing standards.

29
Q

What age does S1-S2 fusion occur?

A

25-30 years old

30
Q

What stages of clavicular fusion are there, and what ages do they occur?

A

Not fused: <18

Partially: 16-21

Fused: 24-29

31
Q

Name 4 microscopic methods of age estimation

A

Root dentine transparency

Cementum growth

Osteon accumulation

Amino acid racemisation

32
Q

What variables should be considered when undergoing age-estimation?

A

Malnutrition

Infection

Nutrition / infection interplay

Taphonomic factors

33
Q

What are 3 age-progressive diseases that can act as indirect indicators of longevity?

A

Osteoporosis
Osteoarthritis
Paget’s disease

34
Q

What is osteoporosis?

A

Loss of bone mineral

35
Q

What is osteoarthritis?

A

Degeneration of joint surfaces

36
Q

What is paget’s disease?

A

A disease of bone remodelling / recycling process.

37
Q

How does root dentine transparency work?

A

Microscopic tubules in the dentine are progressively infilled.

Start at root apex.

Ratio then made between translucent:length of dentine

38
Q

What occurs in amino acid racemisation for it to be used as an age-estimation method?

A

Racemisation of amino acids in COLLAGEN from 100% L-isomer into 50% D and 50% L-isomers.

39
Q

What factor increases rate of racemisation?

A

Temperature

40
Q

Define racemisation

A

Conversion of optically active compound into optically inactive compound.

41
Q

Advanced Glycation end products are made of what?

A

Post-translational non-enzymatic modifications of collagen in vivo.

42
Q

What changes occur in the sternal ends of the upper ribs with ageing?

In young?
In old?

A

Young:

  • Smooth
  • Straight-walled
  • Slightly indented

OLD:

  • Deeper
  • Wider
  • Scalloping of walls.
  • Irregularity of margins
43
Q

What is a potential limitation to having modern standards of age-estimation?

A

Cultural, healthcare and evolutionary changes - may not mimic the patterns of growth / ageing in the time of the skeletal specimen.

44
Q

What sign is Cribra orbitalia and what is it a marker of?

A

Active healing in orbital roof.

Anaemia

45
Q

Periostitis is a marker of what disease presence?

A

Infection

BAHSM (3 decks)

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