Age correlation of cerebral corpus callosum and brainstem area indicators

Abstract

Since aging is characterized by morphofunctional changes in humans, longevity leads to an increase in age-associated features of their bodies . Aim of the study was to carry out a comparative analysis of the cerebral corpus callosum and brainstem area in the human adolescent and old age and determine the presence of their correlation. Material and methods. The work is based on magnetic resonance imaging study of 88 patients examined in the Department of Radiation Diagnostics. The patients were divided into two groups: the first group consisted of 44 adolescents (aged 17–21) and the second group consisted of 44 seniors (aged 75–88). The areas of the corpus callosum and brain stem were calculated in the sagittal projection along the midline. Results and discussion. Analysis of the study results indicates that there is a tendency to the prevalence of cerebral corpus callosum and brain stem area in men compared to the indices established in women ( p > 0.05). A tendency to prevalence of the area of the corpus callosum in adolescents in comparison to representatives of senile age has been established, which was more pronounced in men (by 3.37 %, p > 0.05) than in women (by 0.75 %, p > 0.05). Brain stem area is less in old age than in adolescence: in men by 3.29 % ( p < 0.01), in women by 3.52 % ( p < 0.01). The direct high correlation between the cerebellar body area and brain stem area has been established. Conclusions. The obtained results of the in vivo comparative analysis of corpus callosum and brain stem area of the human brain in adolescence and old age add scientific knowledge about age-related anatomical features of the central nervous system departments in postnatal ontogenesis of humans.