Gender- and age-related differences in the morphology of the corpus callosum

The size and shape of the adult corpus callosum may vary with gender and age. There is, however, little data on the morphology of the corpus callosum in the Indian population. The purpose of this study was to measure the size of the corpus callosum in normal adult Indian males and females, and to identify gender- and age-related differences. The size of the corpus callosum on midsagittal section was measured in 100 (50 males, 50 females) normal adult Indians using magnetic resonance imaging. The length of the corpus callosum, the width of the genu, trunk, and splenium, the area of the splenium, and the total area of the corpus callosum were measured. The length of the brain also was measured. Means were compared for significant difference by gender using the Student's unpaired t-test and by age using ANOVA followed by Duncan's multiple range test. Gender was estimated by discriminant function analysis and age was estimated by regression analysis from significant parameters. The corpus callosum was longer in males and the discriminant score to differentiate gender was determined with an accuracy of 66%. The length of the corpus callosum increased with age and regression equations for predicting age was derived from the length of the corpus callosum. The width of the trunk and genu decreased with age in males but not in females.