European Journal of Anatomy

Official Journal of The Spanish Society of Anatomy
Cover Volume 3 - Number 2
Eur J Anat, 3 (2): 59-67 (1999)

The temporal structures in aging - MRI and unbiased stereological studies

Dziewiatkowski J., Bobek-Billewicz B., Morys J., Narkiewicz O.

Dept. of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Medical University of Gdansk, 1 Debinki Street, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland

ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to assess the age-related differences in the volume of the structures of the temporal lobe in the MRI scans using stereological approach. The brains of 29 volunteers aged from 15 to 89 years without any pathological changes in the central nervous system were studied. Special approach was used to minimize the methodological error and to decrease the intersubject variability of measurements. 1- or 1.5-mm thick consecutive scans perpendicular to the long hippocampal axis were used for semiautomatic evaluation of the temporal structures' volume with estimated coefficient of error below 3%. Normalization of raw data was performed according to the covariance principle. The planned comparisons revealed the significant differences in the normalized volumes of the superior temporal gyrus, amygdala and hippocampus between left and right hemispheres in both the younger (with age < 50) and older group (with age > 50). Additionally, the normalized volume of the left hippocampus differed significantly between these two groups. The correlation analysis revealed that the changes of the normalized volume of hippocampus and lateral ventricle were significantly correlated with age both on the right and left side, and that age was not correlated with the normalized volume of any temporal structure in the older group.

Keywords: aging, article, brain scintiscanning, brain size, controlled study, correlation function, human, normal human, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, stereology, temporal lobe

European Journal of anatomy
ISSN 2340-311X (Online)