Spina bifida at a pre-Columbian Cuban site: a molecular and paleoepidemiological perspective

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorArmstrong, Stephanie D.
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeHoppa, Robert (Anthropology) Matheson, Carney (Lakehead University)en_US
dc.contributor.supervisorRoksandic, Mirjana (Anthropology)en_US
dc.date.accessioned2012-08-23T14:38:30Z
dc.date.available2012-08-23T14:38:30Z
dc.date.issued2012-08-23
dc.degree.disciplineAnthropologyen_US
dc.degree.levelMaster of Arts (M.A.)en_US
dc.description.abstractHealth in archaeological populations needs to be investigated using a holistic approach. Molecular techniques, particularly multiplex PCR, can be used with paleopathology and dietary analysis to understand aspects of population health. This thesis demonstrates how spina bifida, a multi-factorial disease, can be investigated using this paleoepidemiological approach. Based on skeletal evidence, spina bifida was present in a pre-Columbian Cuban population from the archaeological site of Canimar Abajo. Molecular techniques were employed to examine disease potential, examining individuals for five single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with spina bifida. It is postulated that the combined effect of these polymorphisms, as well as dietary factors, determines the risk of the population for spina bifida, and that these factors came together to create the observed high disease prevalence. Therefore, this thesis demonstrates how the methods of molecular paleopathology, corroborated by dietary analyses, can be used within a paleoepidemiological framework to understand population health and disease.en_US
dc.description.noteOctober 2012en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1993/8459
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsopen accessen_US
dc.subjectpaleopathologyen_US
dc.subjectpaleoepidemiologyen_US
dc.subjectspina bifidaen_US
dc.subjectCubaen_US
dc.subjectsingle nucleotide polymorphismsen_US
dc.subjectfolateen_US
dc.titleSpina bifida at a pre-Columbian Cuban site: a molecular and paleoepidemiological perspectiveen_US
dc.typemaster thesisen_US
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Armstrong_Stephanie.pdf
Size:
900.54 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
2.25 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed to upon submission
Description:
Download
Collections
FGS - Electronic Theses and Practica