Department of Anthropology and Anatomy, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Department of Scientific Computations, Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Am J Phys Anthropol. 2019 May;169(1):78-92. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.23810. Epub 2019 Mar 8.
The sagittal suture (SS) is assumed to be an initial site for the commencement of cranial suture closure as well as the most frequent spot of isolated craniosynostosis. The present study aimed to inspect the reorganization of the SS at the microlevel to assess the relation between its closure and aging and to establish whether it could be used as a reliable indicator in age-at-death prediction.
The SS was investigated in 68 dry contemporary adult male skulls of known age-at-death. An additional series of 20 skulls was used for verification. The skulls were scanned using a micro-computed tomography system. The SS closure degree was assessed along the three bone layers on cross-sectional tomograms by using a scoring scale.
In the entirely open SS, the bone edges consist of compact bone and are widely separated. With SS maturation, the bone edges come into contact, and the remodeling process leads to a decrease in the sutural area and bone homogenization across all three layers. SS closure is an irregular process roughly related to aging, beginning in the early 20s, reaching its peak at about 30 years of age and abating in the late 40s.
Although related to aging, SS closure is not a simple function of it. Rather, the underlying factors inducing and managing this process are multifaceted and complex. Although the etiology of SS maturation remains unclear, it is reasonable to use SS closure cautiously and only as a supportive method for age prediction.
矢状缝（SS）被认为是颅缝闭合的初始部位，也是颅缝早闭的最常见部位。本研究旨在从微观水平检查 SS 的重组，以评估其闭合与年龄的关系，并确定其是否可作为死亡年龄预测的可靠指标。
对 68 具已知死亡年龄的当代成年男性干颅骨的 SS 进行了研究。另外还使用了 20 具颅骨进行验证。颅骨使用微计算机断层扫描系统进行扫描。通过使用评分量表，在横断层面体层图像上评估 SS 闭合程度的三个骨层。
在完全开放的 SS 中，骨缘由密质骨组成，且彼此之间有很大的间隔。随着 SS 的成熟，骨缘接触，重塑过程导致整个三个层面的骨缝面积减小和骨均匀化。SS 闭合是一个与年龄相关的不规则过程，大约在 20 岁出头开始，在 30 岁左右达到峰值，并在 40 多岁时减弱。
尽管与年龄有关，但 SS 闭合不是年龄的简单函数。相反，诱导和管理这个过程的潜在因素是多方面和复杂的。虽然 SS 成熟的病因仍不清楚，但谨慎使用 SS 闭合并仅将其作为年龄预测的辅助方法是合理的。
