A Study on the Cerebral Sizes of Koreans in Their 20S and 40S

• Published in: International journal of neuroscience 2008-01, Vol.118 (12), p.1689-1702
• Main Authors: Chung, Soon-Cheol, Choi, Mi-Hyun, Lee, Bongsoo, Tack, Gye-Rae, Jun, Jae-Hoon, Park, Jong-Rak, Min, Byung-Chan, Park, Byung-Gi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; age; Aging - physiology; Anthropometry - methods; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Atrophy - pathology; body parameters; Brain Mapping; cerebral asymmetry; cerebral size; Cerebrum - anatomy & histology; Cerebrum - physiology; Continental Population Groups; Dominance, Cerebral - physiology; Female; Functional Laterality - physiology; Humans; Korea; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Middle Aged; sex; Sex Characteristics; Sex Factors; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0020-7454; 1563-5279; 1543-5245
• DOI: 10.1080/00207450701769224

The purpose of this study was to measure the cerebral sizes of Korean adults in their third (20s) and fifth decades (40s) of life using Talairach-Nowinski reference points to determine the effect of sex and age on cerebral size and asymmetry. Magnetic resonance images of the brain of 94 adults between 20 and 29 years of age (43 males and 51 females) and 99 adults between 40 and 49 years of age (38 males and 61 females) were measured. The distance between reference points and cerebral size of males was greater than those of females. Cerebral width and the size of the left cerebrum of those in their 40s decreased more than those in their 20s. The effect of age on left cerebral atrophy of males was greater than that of females. Left cerebral size was greater than right cerebral size. There was no difference in cerebral asymmetry between the genders. Cerebral asymmetry of those in their 40s was smaller than of those in their 20s and the decrease of cerebral asymmetry of males due to age was greater than that of females. A positive relationship existed between cerebral height, and body height and weight for males in their 20s.