BONE MARROW AND AGEING

The study of the process of ageing is complicated by the fact that the great majority of individuals suffer from pathological changes that have at times been confused with genuine ageing. Most of these involve the bone cither directly, as with osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, or indirectly, as a result of changes in the behaviour of cells in the marrow following on steroid imbalance. A raised blood cortisol, which can be caused by mental, emotional or other forms of stress, when interacting with testosterone or progestational steroids causes the production of atypical megakaryocytes which form abnormal platelets. Thrombi formed from these platelets have deleterious consequences in various parts of the body. It is suggested that one of the effects of supplementary progestational steroids in women will be an increase in aortic calcification in middle age. © 1969 S. Karger AG, Basel.