Allometry in the corpus callosum in neonates: Sexual dimorphism




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

PublisherWILEY

2022

Human Brain Mapping

HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING

HUM BRAIN MAPP

43

15

4609

4619

11

1065-9471

1097-0193

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.25977

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/hbm.25977

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.


Last updated on 2024-26-11 at 20:31