Spatial patterning of bone stiffness in the anterior mandibular corpus of Macaca fascicularis: Implications for models of bone adaptation

Elastic modulus of bone from the anterior mandibular corpus was determined via microindentation in a mixed-sex ontogenetic sample (N = 14) of Macaca fascicularis. This investigation focused on the hypothesis that material heterogeneity in the macaque mandibular symphysis—provided an accounting of age and sex variation—is explicable as a means to homogenize strains in this region. Experimental data and theoretical models of masticatory loading indicate that in the absence of material compensation, large strain gradients exist in the anterior mandibular corpus of macaques, particularly between lingual and labial cortical plates owing to the effects of lateral transverse bending. Microindentation data indicate that juvenile macaques possess less stiff bone than their subadult and adult counterparts; however, sex differences in elastic modulus are not apparent. Anisotropy variation is idiosyncratic; that is, there is not a common pattern of variation in stiffness sampled among orthogonal planes across individuals. Similarly, differences in stiffness between lingual and labial cortical plates, as well as differences among alveolar, midcorpus, and basal regions are inconsistently observed. Consequently, we find little evidence in support of the hypothesis that spatial variation in bone stiffness functions to homogenize strains in the anterior corpus; in fact, in some individuals, this spatial variation serves to exacerbate, rather than to minimize, strain gradients. The mechanical benefit of elastic modulus variation in the macaque mandibular symphysis is unclear; this variation may not confer adaptive benefit in terms of structural integrity despite the fact that such variation has discernible functional consequences. Am J Phys Anthropol 156:649–660, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.