Bone becomes more brittle, less flexible
PhysiologicalData Availability
Period at which this change occurs is not accurately known
Tissue
-
bone
Changes
⇩
-
Anatomical System
-
anatomical site
- head and neck
-
thorax
- thoracic wall
- abdomen
- pelvis
- perineum
- upper limb
- lower limb
- whole body
- adipose tissue
- mucosa
- spine
-
cardiovascular system
-
heart
- atrium
-
ventricle
- left ventricle
- endocardium
- myocardium
- pericardium
- cardiac valve
- cardiac conducting system
-
artery
- aorta
- arterial intima
- arterial media
- arterial adventitia
- carotid artery
- coronary artery
-
vein
- venous intima
- venous media
- venous adventitia
- capillary
-
heart
-
respiratory system
- nose
- sinus
- larynx
- trachea
- bronchus
-
lung
- alveolus
- pleura
- diaphragm
-
hematological system
-
bone marrow
- hematopoietic stem cells
- mesenchymal stem cell
-
blood
- plasma
- myeloid progenitor cell
-
bone marrow
-
lymphoreticular system
- lymph
- lymph node
- tonsil
- spleen
-
alimentary system
-
oral cavity
- tongue
- salivary gland
- tooth
- gum
-
pharynx
- nasopharynx
- oropharynx
- hypopharynx
- oesophagus
-
stomach
- gastric mucosa
-
intestine
-
small intestine
- duodenum
- jejunum
- ileum
- vermiform appendix
-
large intestine
-
colorectal
-
colon
- appendix
- rectum
-
colon
- anus
- cecum
-
colorectal
-
small intestine
- mesentery
- omentum
- peritoneum
-
liver and biliary system
- liver
- gall bladder
- bile duct
-
pancreas
- exocrine pancreas
-
oral cavity
-
urogenital system
-
urinary system
-
kidney
-
nephron
-
renal corpuscle
- glomerus
-
renal tubule
- renal proximal convoluted tubule
- renal distal convoluted tubule
- loop of Henle
- renal collecting duct
-
renal corpuscle
- renal vasculature
- glomerulus
-
nephron
- ureter
- bladder
- urethra
-
kidney
-
reproductive system
-
male reproductive system
-
testis
- seminiferous tubule
- epididymis
- prostate
- vas deferens
-
penis
- glans
- foreskin
-
testis
-
female reproductive system
- ovary
- uterine tube
-
uterus
- cervix
- endometrium
- myometrium
- vagina
- vulva
-
breast
- mammary gland
-
male reproductive system
-
urinary system
-
endocrine system
-
endocrine pancreas
- islets of Langerhans
- pineal gland
- pituitary gland
- thyroid
- parathyroid
-
adrenal gland
- adrenal cortex
- adrenal medulla
-
endocrine pancreas
-
musculoskeletal system
-
bone
- ulna
- femur
- cartilage
-
joint
- synovium
- ligament
- meniscus
-
muscle
- skeletal muscle
- smooth muscle
- tendon
- fascia
-
bone
-
integument system
-
skin
- epidermis
- dermis
-
appendages
- hair follicle
- hair
- nail bed
- nail
- sweat gland
- sebaceous gland
- subcutaneous
-
skin
-
nervous system
-
central nervous system
-
brain
-
cerebrum
-
cerebral cortex
-
frontal lobe
- prefrontal cortex
- parietal lobe
- temporal lobe
- occipital lobe
- visual
- insula
- olfactory bulb
- anterior olfactory nucleus
- lateral olfactory stria
- medial olfactory stria
- olfactory tubercle
- primary olfactory cortex
- secondary olfactory cortex
- hippocampus
- parahippocampal gyrus
-
frontal lobe
- basal nuclei
-
cerebral cortex
-
hypothalamus
- preoptic nucleus
- supraoptic nucleus
- suprachiasmatic nucleus
- paraventricular nucleus
- infundibular nucleus
- anterior nucleus
- dorsomedial nucleus
- ventromedial nucleus
- lateral nucleus
- posterior nucleus
- premamillary nucleus
- tuberomamillary nucleus
- medial mamillary nucleus
- lateral mamillary nucleus
- lateral tuberal nucleus
-
brain stem
-
midbrain
- crus cerebri
- colliculi
- substantia nigra
- red nucleus
- periaqueductal grey matter
- oculomotor nucleus
- trochlear nucleus
- mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus
-
pons
- vestibular nuclei
- cochlear nuclei
- superior olivary nucleus
- trapezoid nucleus
- nucleus of the lateral lemniscus
- abducent nucleus
- facial nucleus
- salivatory nuclei
- trigeminal nucleus
-
midbrain
-
cerebellum
- cerebellum cortex
- cerebellum nuclei
-
tract
- corpus callosum
- ventricular system
- cerebrospinal fluid
- meninges
- white matter
- grey matter
- blood brain barrier
-
cerebrum
- spinal cord
-
brain
-
peripheral nervous system
-
visual apparatus
- globe
- eyelid
- lacrimal gland
- conjunctiva
- cornea
- sclera
- lens
- vitreous humor
- iris
- ciliary body
- choroid
- retina
- optic nerve
- trabecular meshwork
-
auditory apparatus
- external ear
- middle ear
- tympanum
- auditory tube
- auditory ossicle
-
internal ear
-
osseous labyrinth
-
cochlea
- spiral organ of Corti
- semicircular canal
- vestibule
-
cochlea
- membranous labyrinth
-
osseous labyrinth
- olfactory apparatus
- peripheral nerve
- ganglion
- sympathetic chain
-
visual apparatus
-
central nervous system
-
immune system
-
thymus
- T cell progenitor
- lymphocytes
- B cell
- memory B cell
- T cell
- T regulatory cell
- stromal cell
- naïve T cell
- neutrophil
- macrophage
- natural killer cell
- dendritic cell
- leukocyte
-
thymus
-
anatomical site
-
Anatomical System
References
- Whitbourne, S. K. (1985) "The Aging Body: Physiological Changes and Psychological Consequences"
External Links
Description
An increased porosity resulting from the continuous bone remodelling reduces the structural strength of the bone. The remaining bone becomes more brittle with age via a paradoxically increase in mineralization of the remaining bone tissue. As such, the bone of an elderly person, when subjected to pressure, is more likely to snap and cause a clean fracture which is less likely to heal. In contrast the bone of younger persons is more flexible, because of the higher organic composition of its matrix.
Relationships
-
Fractures are cleaner
- Bone becomes more brittle, less flexible