OBSERVATIONS ON BRAIN ATROPHY WITH AND WITHOUT WIDENING OF SULCI

Abstract

Six brains were chosen for this study from a group of 582, without regard to clinical or post-mortem findings. Three of these cases show much thinning of the corpus callosum, without widening of the sulci. The other three cases show considerable widening of the sulci, without notable thinning of the corpus callosum. All of these cases were clinically those of dementia. Two of the cases with widening of the sulci were subject to convulsions at some time. All of these cases showed a considerable degree of atheromatous degeneration of the basal cerebral vessels. Two of the cases in the group without widening of the sulci showed small cysts of softening on the base of the brain. The group without widening of the sulci, but with thinning of the corpus callosum, together with a moderate degree of enlargement of the lateral ventricles, has an average brain weight lower than the group with widened sulci. This group with the lower brain weight averages a greater age also.