Aneuploidy and age in a population survey.

THE MAGNITUDE and frequency of deviation from the diploid chromosome number in normal human subjects have not, as yet, been firmly established. In most published reports, the control populations consist of laboratory or patient groups thought to be physically normal. The incidence of aneuploidy has been estimated recently (Jacobs et al., 1961, 1963, 1964; Hamerton et al., 1965; Court Brown et al., 1966), and the results indicate an association between hypoploidy and age, particularly in female subjects over 65 years of age. Since selection bias may be present in these studies, we undertook to investigate the chromosome constitution of a statistically determined probability sample of the population of the metropolitan area of Buffalo, New York. Such a population would yield information on the distribution of deviations from the diploid number in an unselected population and provide data for comparison with other groups of subjects. In addition, the collection of these data from an urban population in the United States affords a comparison with populations in other parts of the world and with cytogenetic data to be obtained in the future.