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Morphometric variables on the human petrous portion of the temporal bone can provide identification of sex in fragmented skeletal remains. The petrous frequently survives circumstances that cause skeletal fragmentation. Using discriminant function analysis of seven combinations of five variables, up to 74% accuracy can be obtained in determining sex from the petrous portion.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the foramina of the cribriform plate which transmit cranial nerve I decrease in size with age, but this finding has never been supported with quantitative data. It has also been observed that olfactory function declines with increasing age. It has been hypothesized that the cribriform plate foramina closure may be responsible for the olfactory performance decrease with age. We gathered quantitative data to test an age-related decline in cribriform plate foramina area.We report data for the area of patent foramina in the posterior 1 cm of 57 cribriform plates from 40 skulls of known age and sex. Analyses were performed to test for the effects of age, sex, and lateralization on foramina area.The area of patent foramina in the cribriform plate decreases with increasing age. Age is a strong covariate with foramina area (P value ϭ 0.0025). The regression equation for the area of patent foramina is: expected area ϭ 8.17 Ϫ (0.06) age. Adding the variable sex does not contribute significantly (P value Ͼ 0.28) to the model which utilizes age alone. Nor was there any significant lateralization in patent foramina area.The area of patent foramina in the cribriform plate decreases with increasing age, and there is no significant difference between males and females or left and right sides. Such decreases in patent foramina may be associated with impaired olfactory function in the aged. Anat. Rec. 251:326-329, 1998. 1998 Key words: cribriform plate; olfaction; aging; sensory systemsThe cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone contains foramina which transmit nerve fila of cranial nerve I from the olfactory epithelium to the olfactory bulb. These fila are responsible for conveying olfactory stimuli from the nose to the brain. Krmpotic-Nemanic (1969) performed a qualitative analysis of foramina obstruction in the spiral tractus and vestibular area of the fundus of the inner ear and the cribriform plate in human cadaver specimens. This study indicated that older individuals have smaller foramina in these areas (Krmpotic-Nemanic, 1969). Obstruction of the foramina in the cribriform plate as well as in other cranial areas is due to appositional bone growth. Krmpotic-Nemanic (1969) also reported a decrease in number and, in some cases, an absence of nerve fibers in specimens with obstruction of the foramina. This suggests that the appositional bone growth may sever or block the nerve fibers passing their respective plates. Reports in which functional olfactory performance have been assessed have indicated a large decline in olfactory function with age, and it has been suggested that this olfactory decline in older individuals may be the result of obstructed foramina in the cribriform plate (Doty and Snow, 1988;Doty, 1989). In addition, these data reveal that males show a greater decrease in olfactory function than females (Doty and Snow, 1988;Doty, 1989).In the present report, we examine human cribriform plate foramina using quantitative measures to assess whether there are age-related changes,...