A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Allometry in the corpus callosum in neonates: Sexual dimorphism
Authors: Lewis John D, Acosta Henriette, Tuulari Jetro J, Fonov Vladimir S, Collins Louis D, Scheinin Noora M, Lehtola Satu J, Rosberg Aylin, Lidauer Kristian, Ukharova Elena, Saunavaara Jani, Parkkola Riitta, Lahdesmaki Tuire, Karlsson Linnea, Karlsson Hasse
Publisher: WILEY
Publication year: 2022
Journal: Human Brain Mapping
Journal name in source: HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
Journal acronym: HUM BRAIN MAPP
Volume: 43
Issue: 15
First page : 4609
Last page: 4619
Number of pages: 11
ISSN: 1065-9471
eISSN: 1097-0193
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.25977
Web address : https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/hbm.25977
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/175722776
The corpus callosum (CC) is the largest fiber tract in the human brain, allowing interhemispheric communication by connecting homologous areas of the two cerebral hemispheres. In adults, CC size shows a robust allometric relationship with brain size, with larger brains having larger callosa, but smaller brains having larger callosa relative to brain size. Such an allometric relationship has been shown in both males and females, with no significant difference between the sexes. But there is some evidence that there are alterations in these allometric relationships during development. However, it is currently not known whether there is sexual dimorphism in these allometric relationships from birth, or if it only develops later. We study this in neonate data. Our results indicate that there are already sex differences in these allometric relationships in neonates: male neonates show the adult-like allometric relationship between CC size and brain size; however female neonates show a significantly more positive allometry between CC size and brain size than either male neonates or female adults. The underlying cause of this sexual dimorphism is unclear; but the existence of this sexual dimorphism in neonates suggests that sex-differences in lateralization have prenatal origins.
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