Sexual dimorphism of the human corpus callosum studied by magnetic resonance imaging: Fact, fallacy and statistical confidence

Allen D. Elster, Deborah A. DiPersio, Dixon M. Moody

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed in 120 normal right-handed individuals (60 males, 60 females) to clarify existing contradictory data concerning possible sexual dimorphism of the human corpus callosum (CC). Five linear and three area measurements of the CC and brain were obtained directly at the MR scanner console from midline sagittal T1-weighted images. The anteroposterior length of the CC was significantly larger in males than in females (p = 0.0005). No other differences in absolute callosal measurements between the sexes could be demonstrated. However, several size ratios did achieve statistical significance (p < 0.05), being consistently larger in females: splenial width/length CC, splenial width/brain length, and area of CC/area of brain. Where no statistically significant differences were obtained, precision, tolerance, and confidence interval calculations are presented. The data in this large series support a limited but definite sexual dimorphism of the CC in right-handed individuals.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)321-325
Number of pages5
JournalBrain and Development
Volume12
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 1990

Keywords

  • Corpus callosum
  • brain-anatomy
  • brain-development
  • magnetic resonance imaging

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