Volumetric asymmetry and differential aging effect of the human caudate nucleus in normal individuals: a prospective MR imaging study.
OBJECTIVE
the purpose of this study was to examine interhemispheric asymmetry in volume of the caudate nucleus and its age dependency.


METHODS
high-resolution T1-weighted brain magnetic resonance (MR) images were obtained for each subject using a 3-dimensional fast field-echo pulse sequence. The volumes of the bilateral caudate nuclei on MR images were measured using an automated method. Right-to-left comparison was made using paired t-test. Age-related change of right-to-left volume ratio (R/L ratio) was examined using Pearson's correlation coefficient.


RESULTS
fifty healthy right-handed Japanese male subjects (age 12 to 67 years, mean 39.6 years) were involved in this study. The volume of right caudate nucleus was larger than the left in 48 of 50 subjects (P < .001). R/L ratio increased with age (r= .420, P < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
our results confirmed the rightward volumetric asymmetry of caudate nucleus in right-handed individuals, and revealed that this asymmetry becomes notable with age.
Yamashita
Koji
K
Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan. yamakou@med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
Yoshiura
Takashi
T
Hiwatashi
Akio
A
Noguchi
Tomoyuki
T
Togao
Osamu
O
Takayama
Yukihisa
Y
Nagao
Eiki
E
Kamano
Hironori
H
Hatakenaka
Masamitsu
M
Honda
Hiroshi
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D011446:Prospective Studies