The relationship of age, gender, handedness, and sidedness to the size of the corpus callosum

Abstract

We correlated the area and size of the corpus callosum, as measured by MR imaging, with the individual's handedness, sidedness, age, and gender. A total of 117 patients (59 male, 58 female) aged 15-75 years were selected for this study. This included 12 persons who were either left-handed or ambidextrous. Each patient was tested extensively to determine handedness and sidedness. Callosal areas and thickness were measured and correlated with brain size. The body of the corpus callosum decreases in size with age and is larger in right-handed persons. The cross-sectional areas of the genu, splenium, and corpus callosum, overall, do not vary significantly with respect to age, gender, sidedness, or handedness. The size of the corpus callosum consistently decreases with age. Otherwise, few statistical differences in callosal size relate to gender, sidedness, or handedness.