Sex and Age-Dependent Changes of the Cerebral Cortex in Young Adult Sudanese: A Brain Segmentation Study

Abstract

Introduction: The present study aims to measure the cortical structures of cerebral hemispheres including cortical thickness (CT) grey and white matter volume (GMV and WMV) and volume fraction (GMVF and WMVF), in addition to the volume (V) and cortical area pial (CAP) in normal young adult Sudanese, to investigate the effect of sex and age on these cortical structures. Material and Methods: The study included 139 healthy young adult Sudanese subjects (80 males and 59 females). Participant's ages were ranging from 20-40 years. T1-weighted MR brain images with a thickness 1mm were obtained. MR images of the subjects were analyzed using the automatic segmentation software (BrainSuite). Cortical structures of the cerebral hemispheres were estimated using the output data of the process of the software. Result: Sex differences were noticed in the GMV (325.76±38.74cm3), WMV (182.09±26.70cm3), V (507.85±62.20cm3), and CAP (1263.22±127.42cm2) of the cerebral hemisphere (P<0.05). However, there were no differences between genders in CT (3.81±0.17mm), GMVF (64.20±1.98%), and WMVF (35.80±1.98%) of the cerebral hemisphere (P>0.05). Changes with age were seen in the GMV, GMVF, WMVF, and CAP of the cerebral hemisphere (P<0.05). However, there were no changes with age in CT, WMV, and V of the cerebral hemisphere (P>0.05). Conclusion: Sex and age are important factors to consider when evaluating the cortical structures of the cerebral hemisphere. Sex affects GMV, WMV, V, and CAP; but not on the CT, WMVF, and GMVF. Age affects GMV, CAP, WMVF, and GMVF; but not on the CT, V, and WMV.

Keywords

• cortical thickness
• grey and white matter volumes
• volume
• volume fractions
• cortical area pial
• cerebral hemispheres
• and BrainSuite

References

1. Bunyamin Sahin Rector, Tokat Gaziosmanpasa, Turkey
2. Tahir Osman2 Faculty of Postgraduate Studies and Scientific Research, Ribat University, Khartoum-Sudan