Skip to main content
Kent Academic Repository

A structural biorhythm related to human sexual dimorphism

Mahoney, Patrick, McFarlane, Gina, Pitfield, Rosie, O'Hara, Mackie C, Miszkiewicz, Justyna J., Deter, Chris, Seal, Hannah, Guatelli-Steinberg, Debbie (2020) A structural biorhythm related to human sexual dimorphism. Journal of Structural Biology, 211 (2). ISSN 1047-8477. (doi:10.1016/j.jsb.2020.107550) (Access to this publication is currently restricted. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:81666)

PDF Author's Accepted Manuscript
Language: English

Restricted to Repository staff only

Contact us about this Publication
[thumbnail of Manuscript R1 clean.pdf]
Microsoft Word Author's Accepted Manuscript
Language: English

Restricted to Repository staff only
Contact us about this Publication
[thumbnail of Manuscript R1 clean.doc]
Official URL:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/...

Abstract

Life on earth is regulated by biological rhythms, some of which oscillate with a circadian, monthly or lunar cycle. Recent research suggests that there is a near weekly biorhythm that may exert an influence on human skeletal growth. Evidence for the timing of this biorhythm is retained in tooth enamel as the periodicity of Retzius lines. Studies report that Retzius periodicity (RP) relates to adult human stature and enamel thickness. Adult human stature is sexually dimorphic, and so is enamel thickness of maxillary third molars (M3) but not mandibular M3. Yet, previous studies report sex differences in RP are apparent in some populations but not others, and it is unknown if dimorphism in enamel thickness relates to RP. To further our understanding of this biorhythm we analysed sex-related variation in RP and its relationship with enamel thickness in a sample of M3’s (n=94) from adults in Northern Britain.

Results reveal RP was significantly higher in our sample of female molars compared to those of males, which is consistent with the previously reported correlation between the biorhythm and adult stature. The RP of maxillary M3 related to sex differences in enamel thickness, but this relationship was not present in mandibular M3. Our results support previous findings suggesting that this biorhythm is sexually dimorphic and provide the first evidence that RP may be one factor influencing sex differences in enamel thickness. Our study also shows that correlations between RP and enamel thickness appear to be most readily detected for tooth types with sufficiently wide ranges of enamel thickness variation, as is the case for maxillary but not mandibular M3. Achieving a sufficient sample size was critical for detecting a sex difference in periodicity.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.jsb.2020.107550
Uncontrolled keywords: Histology; growth and development
Subjects: H Social Sciences
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Anthropology and Conservation
Depositing User: Patrick Mahoney
Date Deposited: 11 Jun 2020 15:55 UTC
Last Modified: 07 Feb 2022 08:18 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/81666 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Mahoney, Patrick.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2715-3096
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

McFarlane, Gina.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7441-2281
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Pitfield, Rosie.

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

O'Hara, Mackie C.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1221-0668
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Miszkiewicz, Justyna J..

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Deter, Chris.

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:
  • Depositors only (login required):

Total unique views for this document in KAR since July 2020. For more details click on the image.