Age-Related Changes in the Size of the Corpus Callosum

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Abstract

The present paper reports the age-related changes in the size of the corpus callosum for subjects (110 men and 92 women) ranging in age from 2 to 78 years on T1-weighted magnetic resonance images. In men, the size of the area of the midsagittal scetion of the corpus callosum (callosal area) gradually increased until the 20s, remained unchanged until the 40s (584±99mm²), and slowly decreased thereafter. In women, the callosal area strikingly increased until the 20s (640±85mm²), and rapidly decreased thereafter. The maximal width of the midsagittal section of the corpus callosum was estimated at the levels of the genu, body and splenium (genu width, body width and splenium width, respectively). Genu width was widest in the 30s in men (11.2±2.2mm), and in the 20s in women (10.6±2.5mm). Body width was widest in the 30s in both men (5.8±1.2mm) and women (6.2±1.2mm). Splenium width was widest in the 40s in men (11.9±2.1mm), and in the 20s in women (12.9±3.0mm).