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Brain weight of Northwest Indian children and adolescents
Daisy Sahni1, Indar Jit1, Lavina Sodhi1
1Department of Anatomy and Forensic Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Insights
This study measured brain weight in 708 Indian neonates, infants, and children, finding that 94.5% of adult brain weight is achieved by age 6. Sex differences in brain weight become apparent after age 14.
Area of Science:
- Human Biology
- Pediatrics
- Anthropometry
Background:
- Brain development is a critical aspect of human growth.
- Understanding typical brain weight trajectories is essential for assessing normal development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document brain weight changes from birth through adolescence in a North Indian population.
- To establish reference data for brain weight in neonates, infants, and children.
- To investigate the attainment of adult brain weight and the emergence of sex differences.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study measuring brain weight in 708 individuals (neonates to adolescents).
- Data collected from the Chandigarh region of northwest India.
- Analysis of brain weight in relation to age, sex, body length, body weight, and body surface area.
Main Results:
- Brain weight increased significantly from birth to adolescence.
- Approximately 94.5% of adult brain weight was achieved by age 6 years.
- Sex differences in brain weight became statistically significant after 14 years of age.
Conclusions:
- Brain growth is rapid in early childhood, nearing adult size by age 6.
- Sex-based divergence in brain weight emerges in later adolescence.
- This data provides valuable reference points for pediatric and anthropological studies.
Abstract:
Brain weight of 708 individuals, 329 neonates (211 males and 118 females), 142 infants (101 males, 41 females), and 237 children and adolescents (136 males and 101 females), from Chandigarh region of northwest India were measured. Brain weight was 371.9 ± 89.5 gm in male newborns and 342.5 ± 72.2 gm in female newborns (P > 0.05). It increased to 444.7 ± 87.2 gm in the former and 405.0 ± 78.5 gm in the latter at the end of the neonatal period (28 days). Brain weight increased to 845.7 ± 163.4 gm in males and 803.0 ± 100.1 gm in females at the end of 12 months (P > 0.05), and then to 1241.9 ± 104.5 gm in the age group of 5-6 years in males and to 1101.3 ± 37.5 gm in the age group of 3-4 years in females. Thereafter, there was a gradual increase in the brain weight to 1326.9 ± 126.9 gm in male and 1206.3 ± 86.4 gm in female adolescents in the age group of 16-17 years (P < 0.01). By the age of 6 years, about 94.5% (95.6% in males and 93.3% in females) of adult brain weight was attained. Sex differences became evident after the age of 14 years. Relationships between brain weight and age, supine body length, body weight and body surface area were also considered. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 10:505-509, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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