z-logo
Premium
Experimental assessment of nutrition and bone growth's velocity effects on Harris lines formation
Author(s) -
AlfonsoDurruty Marta P.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.21480
Subject(s) - growth velocity , medicine
Harris lines (HL) are radio‐opaque transverse lines traditionally associated with stressors that halt or decelerate growth in humans. Harris lines' status as a stress marker is, however, questionable because their association to illness and deficient growth is low and they commonly form in the absence of stress during periods of accelerated growth. To assess Harris line's reliability as a stress marker, this study examined their association with nutritional status and bone growth velocity through an experimental study in rabbits. Forty‐five New Zealand White rabbits were divided into: Control (normal laboratory conditions), Experimental‐1 (moderately undernourished), and Experimental‐2 (periodically fasted) groups during their growth. Variables analyzed included weight, forelimb length, humeral diaphyseal length, diaphyseal growth velocity, and number of Harris lines. Fewer lines were observed by the end of the study among Experimental‐1 animals. More Harris lines formed during periods of rapid growth in the absence of nutritional stress. Accordingly, Harris lines are a poor marker of stress. Intrinsic limitations to paleopathological studies can be overcome, but even the most careful attentiveness to multiple stress markers and cultural context will go amiss if the markers used are unreliable. Am J Phys Anthropol 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

This content is not available in your region!

Continue researching here.

Having issues? You can contact us here