{"title":"Heterogeneity in experiences of vitamin D deficiency in an early to mid-19th century population from Montreal, Quebec","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpp.2024.07.003","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><p>To use the prevalence of prenatal/infancy interglobular dentine (IGD) as a proxy for suboptimal vitamin D status and explore its link to mortality, biological sex, cultural behaviours and environmental factors during the end of the pre-industrial/ beginning of the industrial period.</p></div><div><h3>Materials</h3><p>50 skeletons from the St. Antoine cemetery (1799–1854), Montreal, Quebec with a well-preserved first mandibular molar.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>Thin sections were prepared for histological examination of IGD in crown dentine.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>IGD prevalence was 74 % (37/50) and not significantly correlated statistically to sex and age-at-death. Most IGD occurred at birth and up to 3 years-old, six individuals were affected <em>in utero</em>, 54 % of the sample (27/50) presented longstanding IGD and six individuals displayed multiple IGD episodes.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Prenatal IGD episodes revealed suboptimal maternal vitamin D levels, which, alongside a high frequency of IGD episodes around birth/from birth until a certain age, suggest cultural influences. Multiple and longstanding IGD episodes might also reflect suboptimal seasonal vitamin D attainment.</p></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><p>This study provides in-depth data on IGD within a relatively large archaeological North American sample, proving relevant to epidemiological studies on suboptimal vitamin status in 19th century Montreal.</p></div><div><h3>Limitations</h3><p>The total number of IGD episodes is underestimated due to methodological biases; first-generation migrants in this study could not be identified and excluded from the sample.</p></div><div><h3>Suggestions for further research</h3><p>Use of a larger sample with a wider age-at-death range; further research on infants and children to investigate links between growth and lesion formation and visibility.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48817,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Paleopathology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1879981724003012/pdfft?md5=4e228e54e52590893ea387624e51062a&pid=1-s2.0-S1879981724003012-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Paleopathology","FirstCategoryId":"89","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1879981724003012","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"PALEONTOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective
To use the prevalence of prenatal/infancy interglobular dentine (IGD) as a proxy for suboptimal vitamin D status and explore its link to mortality, biological sex, cultural behaviours and environmental factors during the end of the pre-industrial/ beginning of the industrial period.
Materials
50 skeletons from the St. Antoine cemetery (1799–1854), Montreal, Quebec with a well-preserved first mandibular molar.
Methods
Thin sections were prepared for histological examination of IGD in crown dentine.
Results
IGD prevalence was 74 % (37/50) and not significantly correlated statistically to sex and age-at-death. Most IGD occurred at birth and up to 3 years-old, six individuals were affected in utero, 54 % of the sample (27/50) presented longstanding IGD and six individuals displayed multiple IGD episodes.
Conclusions
Prenatal IGD episodes revealed suboptimal maternal vitamin D levels, which, alongside a high frequency of IGD episodes around birth/from birth until a certain age, suggest cultural influences. Multiple and longstanding IGD episodes might also reflect suboptimal seasonal vitamin D attainment.
Significance
This study provides in-depth data on IGD within a relatively large archaeological North American sample, proving relevant to epidemiological studies on suboptimal vitamin status in 19th century Montreal.
Limitations
The total number of IGD episodes is underestimated due to methodological biases; first-generation migrants in this study could not be identified and excluded from the sample.
Suggestions for further research
Use of a larger sample with a wider age-at-death range; further research on infants and children to investigate links between growth and lesion formation and visibility.
期刊介绍:
Paleopathology is the study and application of methods and techniques for investigating diseases and related conditions from skeletal and soft tissue remains. The International Journal of Paleopathology (IJPP) will publish original and significant articles on human and animal (including hominids) disease, based upon the study of physical remains, including osseous, dental, and preserved soft tissues at a range of methodological levels, from direct observation to molecular, chemical, histological and radiographic analysis. Discussion of ways in which these methods can be applied to the reconstruction of health, disease and life histories in the past is central to the discipline, so the journal would also encourage papers covering interpretive and theoretical issues, and those that place the study of disease at the centre of a bioarchaeological or biocultural approach. Papers dealing with historical evidence relating to disease in the past (rather than history of medicine) will also be published. The journal will also accept significant studies that applied previously developed techniques to new materials, setting the research in the context of current debates on past human and animal health.