Normal brain development and aging: quantitative analysis at in vivo MR imaging in healthy volunteers

TLDR: In this article, the authors quantitatively quantitate neuroanatomic parameters in healthy volunteers and compare the values with normative values from postmortem studies, using MRI images of 116 volunteers aged 19 months to 80 years.

Abstract: PURPOSE: To quantitate neuroanatomic parameters in healthy volunteers and to compare the values with normative values from postmortem studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Magnetic resonance (MR) images of 116 volunteers aged 19 months to 80 years were analyzed with semiautomated procedures validated by means of comparison with manual tracings. Volumes measured included intracranial space, whole brain, gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Results were compared with values from previous postmortem studies. RESULTS: Whole brain and intracranial space grew by 25%–27% between early childhood (mean age, 26 months; age range, 19–33 months) and adolescence (mean age, 14 years; age range, 12–15 years); thereafter, whole-brain volume decreased such that volunteers (age range, 71–80 years) had volumes similar to those of young children. GM increased 13% from early to later (6–9 years) childhood. Thereafter, GM increased more slowly and reached a plateau in the 4th decade; it decreased by 13...