Anatomical Record-Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology最新文献

{"title":"Distal femoral morphology as a risk factor for osteoarthritis","authors":"Haley Horbaly","doi":"10.1002/ar.70012","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ar.70012","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of disability affecting millions of adults in the United States, commonly resulting in the need for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) to restore mobility and quality of life. This study investigates potential differences in baseline distal femoral shape between individuals who received TKA due to OA and a control group representing a healthy population. Using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics, distal femoral shape was examined in 43 adult skeletons from the University of Tennessee Donated Skeletal Collection. Results suggest that natural femoral shape in TKA-receiving individuals may differ from that of the control group, with some individuals in the TKA sample occupying more extreme regions of the femoral shape space. In particular, the landmarks of the medial condyle appear anteriorly shifted in the TKA sample, identifying this region as a candidate location for future exploration into group differences. While future longitudinal studies are required to determine direct causal links between morphology and OA as a health outcome, existing clinical literature has identified that even minor mismatch in conarticular shape can alter the biomechanical environment of the joint. These results are a first step in identifying outliers for femoral morphology and potential regions of femoral anatomy that may predispose individuals to OA, highlighting the importance of evaluating morphological variations as potential risk factors. This study further contributes to our understanding of the boundaries of articular morphospace and its implications for arthropathy, underscoring the need for further research to establish direct links between baseline articular shape and OA onset.</p>","PeriodicalId":50965,"journal":{"name":"Anatomical Record-Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":"309 5","pages":"1394-1405"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13047956/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144693029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Headbutting through time: A review of this hypothesized behavior in “dome-headed” fossil taxa","authors":"D. Cary Woodruff,&nbsp;Nicole L. Ackermans","doi":"10.1002/ar.25526","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ar.25526","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Headbutting is a combative behavior most popularly portrayed and exemplified in the extant bighorn sheep (<i>Ovis canadensis</i>). When behaviorally proposed in extinct taxa, these organisms are oft depicted <i>Ovis</i>-like as having used modified cranial structures to combatively slam into one another. The combative behavioral hypothesis of headbutting has a long and rich history in the vertebrate fossil literature (not just within Dinosauria), but the core of this behavioral hypothesis in fossil terrestrial vertebrates is associated with an enlarged osseous cranial dome—an osteological structure with essentially no current counterpart. One confounding issue found in the literature is that while the term “headbutting” sounds simplistic enough, little terminology has been used to describe this hypothesized behavior. And pertinent to this special issue, potential brain trauma and the merits of such proposed pugilism have been assessed largely from the potential deformation of the overlying osseous structure; despite the fact that extant taxa readily show that brain damage can and does occur without osteological compromise. Additionally, the extant taxa serving as the behavioral counterpart for comparison are critical, not only because of the combative behaviors and morphologies they display, but also the way they engage in such behavior. Sheep (<i>Ovis</i>), warthogs (<i>Phacochoerus</i>), and bison (<i>Bison</i>) all engage in various forms of “headbutting”, but the cranial morphologies and the way each engages in combat is markedly different. To hypothesize that an extinct organism engaged in headbutting like an extant counterpart in theory implies specific striking:contacting surfaces, speed, velocity, and overall how that action was executed. This review examines the history and usage of the headbutting behavioral hypothesis in these dome-headed fossil taxa, their respective extant behavioral counterparts, and proposes a protocol for specific behavioral terms relating to headbutting to stem future confusion. We also discuss the disparate morphology of combative cranial structures in the fossil record, and the implications of headbutting-induced brain injury in extinct taxa. Finally, we conclude with some potential implications for artistic reconstructions of fossil taxa regarding this behavioral repertoire.</p>","PeriodicalId":50965,"journal":{"name":"Anatomical Record-Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":"309 5","pages":"1235-1256"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141535922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From beaks to brains—Challenges in translating woodpecker biology into traumatic brain injury innovation","authors":"James M. Smoliga","doi":"10.1002/ar.25567","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ar.25567","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The biomechanics of woodpeckers have captivated researchers for decades. These birds' unique ability to withstand repeated impacts, seemingly without apparent harm, has piqued the interests of scientists and clinicians across multiple disciplines. Historical and recent studies have dissected the anatomical and physiological underpinnings of woodpeckers' protective mechanisms and sparked interest in the development of woodpecker-inspired safety equipment. Despite the intuitive appeal of translating woodpecker adaptations into strategies for human traumatic brain injury (TBI) prevention, significant challenges hinder such innovation. Critical examinations reveal a lack of direct applicability of these findings to human TBI prevention, attributed to fundamental biological and mechanical dissimilarities between humans and woodpeckers. Additionally, some commercial endeavors attempting to capitalize on our fascination with woodpeckers are rooted in unsubstantiated claims about these birds. This paper explores the narrative surrounding woodpecker biomimicry, including its origins and history, and highlights the challenges of translating findings from unconventional animal models of TBI into effective human medical interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":50965,"journal":{"name":"Anatomical Record-Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":"309 5","pages":"1257-1267"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142019475","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Histological quantification of lesion growth rate in hyperostosis frontalis interna (HFI)","authors":"Russell Hogg,&nbsp;Tara Peburn","doi":"10.1002/ar.70025","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ar.70025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><i>Hyperostosis frontalis interna</i> (HFI) is a human skeletal disease characterized by nodules of hyperplastic bone and thickening of the frontal bone's inner surface. Despite its high prevalence in older adults and well-demonstrated neurological comorbidities, HFI's etiology and pathogenesis are poorly understood, including the growth rates of HFI lesions. This lack of information on the rate of progression has obvious consequences for the development of treatment and prevention protocols. Therefore, the aim of this study is to use histopathologic assessment of HFI lesions to directly quantify the growth rate of bone tissue in HFI. To quantify growth rates within HFI lesions, we prepared histological sections of HFI-affected frontal bone from anonymized human cadaver specimens donated to the Anatomical Board of the State of Florida. We measured lamellar breadths from lesioned as well as unlesioned bone to estimate a daily secretion rate (DSR) for the bone tissue, calibrated using dental enamel growth increments from the same individuals. Our data support a median DSR of ~0.9 μm, yielding a lesion expansion rate of approximately 3 years per millimeter of bone thickness. Comparisons of lesioned and unlesioned bone suggest HFI is not associated with a significantly higher osteoblast secretion rate in lesioned bone. Our data suggest that typical HFI progression is a slow, cumulative process, without any clear evidence of acceleration in the osteoblast secretory rate. The slow progression of HFI provides ample opportunity for early identification and clinical interventions before it progresses to cause neurological deficits.</p>","PeriodicalId":50965,"journal":{"name":"Anatomical Record-Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":"309 5","pages":"1386-1393"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144693031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Peripheral nerve anomalies and associated musculoskeletal defects in anuran species: New anatomical records","authors":"Mónica C. Soliz,&nbsp;Virginia Abdala","doi":"10.1002/ar.70002","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ar.70002","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In this study, we analyzed peripheral nerve anomalies in 15 anuran species spanning multiple developmental stages. Anatomical examinations focused on both the central nervous system—including the olfactory bulbs, telencephalon, diencephalon, midbrain, cerebellum, and hindbrain—and the peripheral nervous system, with particular attention to cranial and spinal nerves. Spinal nerve anomalies were often associated with vertebral deformities such as scoliosis and commonly presented as nerve thinning, fusion, or asymmetrical branching along the curvature's concave side. Limb rotation primarily affected the elbow and extended to the hand, accompanied by variations in interstitial nerve branching. Specimens with cranial torsion exhibited smaller cerebral hemispheres, anterior displacement of the cerebellum, and atrophied or indistinct cranial nerves contralateral to the curvature. In the hindlimbs, phalangeal reductions in cases of brachydactyly correlated with absent or altered plantar interstitial nerves. Hemimelia was marked by the absence of distal nerves and severe underdevelopment of carpal and digital elements, while oligodactyly showed altered nerve orientation and reduced distal innervation. Some of these patterns parallel congenital nerve disorders in humans, offering insight into the evolutionary and developmental foundations of nerve malformations. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of vertebrate congenital anomalies and highlight the importance of future studies on their genetic, morphogenetic, and environmental underpinnings.</p>","PeriodicalId":50965,"journal":{"name":"Anatomical Record-Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":"309 5","pages":"1327-1342"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144188758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Only skull-deep? Headbutting adaptations may not extend to the brain cavity","authors":"Nicole L. Ackermans,&nbsp;Joy S. Reidenberg","doi":"10.1002/ar.25623","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ar.25623","url":null,"abstract":"<p>High-impact headbutting behavior makes the muskox (<i>Ovibos moschatus</i>) a charismatic species. While many theorize how these headbutting bovids might protect their brain during such encounters, few have investigated their claims anatomically. We investigated the anatomical function of digitiform impressions in the bovid brain cavity and their relationship to headbutting. This work is divided into two parts. First, we provide an anatomical description of the muskox brain cavity for the first time in literature. We used computed tomography (CT) scans of adult and juvenile muskoxen skulls and scans of a goat (<i>Capra hircus</i>) skull for comparison. As the texture of the muskox brain cavity appeared pronounced, we sought to quantify the digitiform impressions that create this rough appearance, with the hypothesis that they support the brain and reduce injury during headbutting. We developed a simple measurement to quantify digitiform impressions called the endocranial roughness index (ERI). In the second part of this work, the ERI was applied to a sample of 59 headbutting and non-headbutting bovid species. Contrary to our expectations, the quantitative assessment of digitiform impressions across various taxa revealed no correlation between endocranial roughness and headbutting. We conclude that endocranial roughness either only affects brain protection at a smaller scale, or endocranial roughness at the measured scale does not have an effect on brain protection significant enough to cause selective evolutionary pressure.</p>","PeriodicalId":50965,"journal":{"name":"Anatomical Record-Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":"309 5","pages":"1268-1280"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147611681","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Helmeted hornbill cranial kinesis: Balancing mobility and stability in a high-impact joint","authors":"Mike Schindler,&nbsp;Benjamin Flaum,&nbsp;Armita Razieh Manafzadeh,&nbsp;Viktoriia Kamska,&nbsp;Kanmani Chandra Rajan,&nbsp;Maria Jose Robles Malagamba,&nbsp;Ruien Hu,&nbsp;Daniel Baum,&nbsp;Mason N. Dean","doi":"10.1002/ar.25613","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ar.25613","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Prokinesis—in which a craniofacial joint allows the rostrum to move relative to the braincase—is thought to confer diverse advantages in birds, mostly for feeding. A craniofacial joint would, however, be a weak link if cranial stability is important. Paradoxically, we have identified a craniofacial joint in helmeted hornbills (<i>Rhinoplax vigil</i>), birds known for violent head-butting behavior. To understand how the helmeted hornbill balances the competing demands of kinesis and collision, we combine manual craniofacial joint manipulation, skull micro-computed tomography (μCT) and articular raycasting, also comparing our data with μCT scans of 10 closely-related species that do not aggressively head-butt. The helmeted hornbill boasts a particularly massive casque, a distinctive upper mandible protrusion fronting the braincase; the craniofacial joint is immediately caudal to this, a standard prokinetic hinge joint position, at the dorsal border of braincase and upper mandible. However, whereas the craniofacial joint in all bucerotiform bird species we examined was only a slender bridge, the helmeted hornbill's joint is exceptionally reinforced. Raycasting analyses revealed high correspondence between the extremely broad joint facets, with reciprocal topographies of braincase and casque fitting like complex puzzle pieces. The result is a joint with a single degree of freedom and limited range of motion, increasing the gape when elevated, but conversely stable when depressed. With the dense network of bony trabeculae in the casque also funneling back to this joint, we infer that the damaging effects of high cranial impact are mitigated, not by dissipating impact energy, but through a skull architecture with a prodigious safety factor.</p>","PeriodicalId":50965,"journal":{"name":"Anatomical Record-Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":"309 5","pages":"1299-1312"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13047946/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143538073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A history of thought on brain injury in head-hitting animals","authors":"Nicole L. Ackermans","doi":"10.1002/ar.70069","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ar.70069","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Throughout time, humans have observed animals performing head impact behaviors in nature and have wondered whether they sustain brain injury. The resulting literature spans centuries and provides both valuable insight and misguided theories. Bighorn sheep and woodpeckers are the two main species studied in this regard and, simultaneously, in current popular culture they are often represented as being immune to brain injury. How did this narrative arise, and is it accurate? This historical review explores these questions by tracing the development of human thought on animal head impacts from prehistoric rock art, through medieval illumination, to the advent of natural history, and finally to modern-day research. As the study of these animals increased, contrasting hypotheses arose regarding both bovids and woodpeckers. While research from engineering and biomedical fields hypothesizes that specialized anatomical features prevent these animals from sustaining brain injury, research from the evolutionary biology field refutes the idea of any such shock-absorption mechanisms. Modern histochemistry techniques have provided cellular evidence of brain injury in both bovids and woodpeckers, and yet biomimicry research continues to seek inspiration for brain protection from these animals. The race for solutions to a growing neurodegeneration epidemic has led to a legacy of unsupported claims amongst the research taking inspiration from head-hitting animals. This review traces the development of these ideas, with a focus on persistent misinformation. By re-examining the literature, it calls for a shift towards evidence-based approaches to more effectively advance our understanding of animal brain injury, and ultimately human health.</p>","PeriodicalId":50965,"journal":{"name":"Anatomical Record-Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":"309 5","pages":"1209-1234"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145294992","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A proximodistal gradient in bone structure and mechanics in the wings of Seba's short-tailed bat, Carollia perspicillata","authors":"Xiaoxiang Ma,&nbsp;Aowen Deng,&nbsp;Sabah Nobakhti,&nbsp;Sharon Swartz,&nbsp;Sandra J. Shefelbine","doi":"10.1002/ar.70008","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ar.70008","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Bats possess the remarkable ability to fly, and with this, distinctive wing bone properties. We investigated the structural, mechanical, and compositional properties of the humerus, radius, metacarpals, and proximal and middle phalanges of <i>Carollia perspicillata</i>, an approximately 15 g fruit-eating bat native to the Neotropics. We used microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) to assess cross-sectional properties (cross-sectional area, second moment of area, circularity index), quantitative backscattered scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to assess mineral density in longitudinal sections, and nanoindentation to determine the elastic modulus along the length of each bone. Our findings revealed proximal to distal structural, mechanical, and mineral density gradients along the length of the wing. Proximal bones possessed larger cross-sectional area, second moment of area, mineral density, and elastic modulus than distal bones. Proximal bones were more circular in cross-section than the more elliptical distal bones, suggesting adaptation to torsional loading around the long axis and bending loading perpendicular to the long axis, respectively. This morphological and material properties gradient is linked to the bat's flight capabilities, reducing inertia and increasing ductility of the distal wing.</p>","PeriodicalId":50965,"journal":{"name":"Anatomical Record-Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":"309 5","pages":"1422-1432"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13047950/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144340755","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Structure and cytoarchitecture of the retrosplenial cortex in the Cairo spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus)","authors":"Natalia Merkulyeva,&nbsp;Aleksandr Veshchitskii,&nbsp;Aleksandr Mikhalkin,&nbsp;Anton Beljajev","doi":"10.1002/ar.70119","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ar.70119","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The retrosplenial cortex is a component of the limbic cortex involved in visually guided memory tasks, including navigation. Using neurochemical markers for the general neuronal population (NeuN), pyramidal neurons (SMI-32), and interneurons (calbindin 28 kDa), we examined the location and cytoarchitectonic divisions of the retrosplenial cortex in the Cairo spiny mouse (<i>Acomys cahirinus</i>). Two distinct regions corresponding to the granular and dysgranular areas (areas 29 and 30) were identified. The criterion for defining the granular cortex was the presence of dendritic bundles located within layers I and II, exhibiting intense SMI-32 staining. SMI-32-positive neuronal somas were predominantly found in layers II and V of area 29 and in layers II–V of area 30. In both areas, calbindin-positive neuronal somas were mainly located in layer II. The total neuronal population was greater in area 29, whereas both SMI-32- and calbindin-positive populations were more numerous in area 30. Based on these findings, we propose that some fundamental features of the retrosplenial cortex in the Acomys are quite similar to those observed in laboratory rodents. At the same time, the retrosplenial cortex in the acomys is larger than in the mouse brain.</p>","PeriodicalId":50965,"journal":{"name":"Anatomical Record-Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology","volume":"309 5","pages":"1313-1326"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145822565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}