Aging and gender effects on mid-sagittal structures of Korean brain / 대한해부학회지

ABSTRACT

The brain size is a useful parameter describing ontogenic characters and functions. Recent studies of brain size with medical imaging techniques such as MRI and CT made us understand the functions of brain and pathophysiology of various neurologic diseases. With these advances in medical imaging technique, study on Korean brain size needs more attention. In this study, neurologically intact brain MRIs of 66 females and 58 males (ages 19 through 80) were analyzed. Areas of corpus callosum, midbrain, pons, and cerebellar vermis were estimated from mid-sagittal plane of MRI films. Statistical analyses were performed to reveal the effects of aging and gender on these structures. Our results demonstrate statistically significant sexual difference of pons size in healthy adult Korean. Size of other structures examined were not different between female and male. Age-related atrophy was observed in midbrain of male and female midbrain and the corpus callosum of male. This is the first report of sexual difference of pons size in normal adult Korean. Sexual dimorphism of ageing response in copus callosum differences needs further investigation.