TY - JOUR
T1 - Gender differences in the left inferior frontal gyrus in normal children
AU - Blanton, Rebecca E.
AU - Levitt, Jennifer G.
AU - Peterson, Jeffrey R.
AU - Fadale, David
AU - Sporty, Mike L.
AU - Lee, Mimi
AU - To, Dennis
AU - Mormino, Elizabeth C.
AU - Thompson, Paul M.
AU - McCracken, James T.
AU - Toga, Arthur W.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by research grants from the National Institute of Mental Health (t32 MH19950 and AK08-MH01385 1P01 HD35482-01). The authors wish to sincerely thank all the members of the Laboratory of Neuro Imaging for their assistance in the preparation of the manuscript.
PY - 2004/6
Y1 - 2004/6
N2 - This study examined frontal lobe subregions in 46 normal children and adolescents (25 females, mean age: 11.08, SD: 3.07; and 21 males, mean age: 10.76, SD: 2.61) to assess the effects of age and gender on volumetric measures as well as hemispheric asymmetries. Superior, middle, inferior, and orbito-frontal gray, white, and cerebrospinal (CSF) volumes were manually delineated in high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data to assess possible morphological changes. We report a significant age-related increase in the white matter of the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) in boys (P = 0.007). Additionally, the left IFG was significantly larger in boys compared to girls (P = 0.004). Boys showed increased gray matter volume relative to girls even after correcting for total cerebral volume. Also, boys were found to have significant Right > Left asymmetry patterns with greater right hemispheric volumes for total cerebral volume, total cerebral white matter, MFG white matter, and SFG white matter (P < 0.001). Girls showed significant Right > Left asymmetry patterns in total cerebral and SFG white matter (P < 0.001). These findings suggest continued modification of the IFG during normal development in boys, and significant gender differences in IFG gray matter between boys and girls that may be possibly linked to gender differences in speech development and lateralization of language.
AB - This study examined frontal lobe subregions in 46 normal children and adolescents (25 females, mean age: 11.08, SD: 3.07; and 21 males, mean age: 10.76, SD: 2.61) to assess the effects of age and gender on volumetric measures as well as hemispheric asymmetries. Superior, middle, inferior, and orbito-frontal gray, white, and cerebrospinal (CSF) volumes were manually delineated in high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data to assess possible morphological changes. We report a significant age-related increase in the white matter of the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) in boys (P = 0.007). Additionally, the left IFG was significantly larger in boys compared to girls (P = 0.004). Boys showed increased gray matter volume relative to girls even after correcting for total cerebral volume. Also, boys were found to have significant Right > Left asymmetry patterns with greater right hemispheric volumes for total cerebral volume, total cerebral white matter, MFG white matter, and SFG white matter (P < 0.001). Girls showed significant Right > Left asymmetry patterns in total cerebral and SFG white matter (P < 0.001). These findings suggest continued modification of the IFG during normal development in boys, and significant gender differences in IFG gray matter between boys and girls that may be possibly linked to gender differences in speech development and lateralization of language.
KW - Development
KW - Imaging
KW - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
KW - Prefrontal cortex
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=2942556710&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2004.01.010
DO - 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2004.01.010
M3 - Article
C2 - 15193591
AN - SCOPUS:2942556710
SN - 1053-8119
VL - 22
SP - 626
EP - 636
JO - NeuroImage
JF - NeuroImage
IS - 2
ER -