engleski

Postnatal Changes In The Ratio Of Human Brain Volume To Endocranial Volume

The ratio of human brain volume (BV) to endocranial volume (EV) is changing during the life time. Previous studies showed that BV/EV ratio decreases with age with consequent increase of the cerebrospinal fluid volume (CVV). In this study we analyzed endocranial volume (EV), brain tissue volume (BV) and cerebrospinal fluid volume (CVV) of 42 individuals divided into 5 age groups (group 1 = 0 - 1 year, group 2 = 1 - 3 years, group 3 = 3 - 6 years, group 4 = 20 - 30 years and group 5 = 50 - 60 years). Male and females were equally represented in all groups. All subjects had normal brain morphology and normal pattern of the brain development. Significant change in the BV/EV ratio and CVV/BV ratio was observed during the first three years of life.This is also the period of the fastest increase of BV and EV while CVV is increasing slower thus explaining rapid changes of these ratios After the third year of life BV/EV and CVV/EV volumes reach the plateau with all three volumes increasing at the steady rate. Significant change of these volumes can be observed again in the group 5. All three volumes change significantly during first three years of life reaching almost adult values at the end of the third year of life. The knowledge of BV/EV ratio as well as CVV/EV ratio at different postnatal ages is important not only for clinical studies, but also for comparative life-history studies of postnatal brain development in humans and great apes.

MR volumetry ; brain development ; cerebrospinal fluid ; endocranial volume

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