Open AccessThe developing human brain: age‐related changes in cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar anatomy
Author(s) -
Sussman Dafna,
Leung Rachel C.,
Chakravarty M. Mallar,
Lerch Jason P.,
Taylor Margot J.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
brain and behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 41
ISSN - 2162-3279
DOI - 10.1002/brb3.457
Subject(s) - thalamus , supramarginal gyrus , cerebellum , sexual dimorphism , basal ganglia , anatomy , neuroscience , putamen , brain size , human brain , cortex (anatomy) , psychology , biology , magnetic resonance imaging , medicine , central nervous system , functional magnetic resonance imaging , endocrinology , radiology
This study is the first to characterize normal development and sex differences across neuroanatomical structures in cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar brain regions in a single large cohort. Methods One hundred and ninety‐two magnetic resonance images were examined from 96 typically developing females and 96 age‐matched typically developing males from 4 to 18 years of age. Image segmentation of the cortex was conducted with CIVET , while that of the cerebellum, hippocampi, thalamus, and basal ganglia were conducted using the MAGeT algorithm. Results Cortical thickness analysis revealed that most cortical regions decrease linearly, while surface area increases linearly with age. Volume relative to total cerebrum followed a quadratic trend with age, with only the left supramarginal gyrus showing sexual dimorphism. Hippocampal relative volume increased linearly, while the thalamus, caudate, and putamen decreased linearly, and the cerebellum did not change with age. The relative volumes of several subcortical subregions followed inverted U‐shaped trends that peaked at ~12 years of age. Many subcortical structures were found to be larger in females than in males, independently of age, while others showed a sex‐by‐age interaction. Conclusion This study provides a comprehensive assessment of cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar growth patterns during normal development, and draws attention to the role of sex on neuroanatomical maturation throughout childhood and adolescence.