| Peer-Reviewed

Age-related Measurements and Indices of Normal Human Brain Fourth Ventricle: A Computed Tomography Study

Received: 1 June 2015     Accepted: 12 June 2015     Published: 17 June 2015
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

Objectives: To detect average dimensions and indices of normal brain cerebral hemispheres and fourth ventricles in relation to age and gender. Subjects & Methods: 135 subjects; 70 males (M) and 65 females (F) were categorized into 4 age groups (G): GM1 & GF1 included subjects <20 years old, GM2 & GF2 included subjects aged 20-40 years, GM3 & GF3 included subjects aged 40-60 years and GM4 & GF4 included subjects >60 years old. CT imaging was conducted according to Agapejev; using high resolution scanner for measuring the fourth ventricle; the fourth ventricular anteroposterior diameter (AP), laterolateral diameter and fourth ventricular indices. Results: As regard the measured parameter of the fourth ventricle, the anteroposterior diameter (AP) and the laterolateral diameter (LL) showed a significant increase after the age of forty in both sexes. The indices of the fourth ventricle (AP/CR) and (AP/ff) showed no significant changes with age and sex but these indices had some degree of changes during human life time. On the other hand the only index that does not suffer influence of age and sex at all, it was (AP/LL) index. Considering the sex difference in ventricular dilatation in the present work, AP/LL was the only parameters which showed no difference between males and females so considered as (sentinel index of the fourth ventricle). Conclusion: The dimensions of the normal brain ventricles increased gradually and steadily between the age of one and fifty years, however they increased markedly and significantly thereafter in both sexes. This may be due to a physiological brain atrophy that may be encountered in most elderly individuals. Ventricular system was larger in males than that of females of all age groups.

Published in International Journal of Clinical and Developmental Anatomy (Volume 1, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijcda.20150102.12
Page(s) 22-31
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2015. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Human Brain, Fourth Ventricle, CT Study

References
[1] Erten-Lyons D, Dodge HH, Woltjer R, Silbert LC, Howieson DB, Kramer P, Kaye JA: Neuropathologic basis of age-associated brain atrophy. JAMA Neurol. 2013; 70(5):616-22.
[2] Fjell AM, Westlye LT, Grydeland H, Amlien I, Espeseth T, Reinvang I, Raz N, Holland D, Dale AM, Walhovd KB: Alzheimer Disease Neuroimaging Initiative: Critical ages in the life course of the adult brain: nonlinear subcortical aging. Neurobiol Aging. 2013; 34 (10): 2239-47.
[3] Marner L, Nyengaard JR, Tang Y, Pakkenberg B.: Marked loss of myelinated nerve fibers in the human brain with age. Journal of Comparative Neurology 2003; 462:144–52.
[4] Raz N, Lindenberger U, Rodrigue KM, Kennedy KM, Head D, Williamson A, et al.: Regional brain changes in aging healthy adults: General trends, individual differences and modifiers. Cerebral Cortex 2005; 15:1676–89.
[5] Ziegler G, Dahnke R, Jäncke L, Yotter RA, May A, Gaser C: Brain structural trajectories over the adult lifespan. Hum Brain Mapp. 2012; 33(10): 2377-89.
[6] Taki Y, Thyreau B, Kinomura S, Sato K, Goto R, Wu K, and Kawashima R, Fukuda H: A longitudinal study of age- and gender-related annual rate of volume changes in regional gray matter in healthy adults. Hum Brain Mapp. 2013; 34(9):2292-301.
[7] Purves D, Augustine GJ, Fitzpatrick D, et al., editors. Neuroscience. 2nd edition. Sunderland (MA): Sinauer Associates; 2001
[8] Zaharia B, Pleşea IE, Georgescu CC, Cameniţă A, Georgescu CV, Enache SD, Tnovici M: Morphoclinical study of intracerebral hemorrhage with intraventricular extension. Rom J Morphol Embryol. 2005; 46 (3):199-206.
[9] Dănăilă L: Primary tumors of the lateral ventricles of the brain. Chirurgia (Bucur). 2013; 108(5):616-30.
[10] Agapejev S: Fourth ventricle computed tomography: standardization and characteristics, Arq. Neuro. Psiquiatr, 2002; 60: 211-218.
[11] Hagga JR, Lanzieri CF, Gilkenson RC: “CT and MRI imaging of the whole Body” fourth edition, volume 1, chapter 4, Mosby, Inc. Philadelphia, USA, 2003; P. 88-123 and 351.
[12] Durazzo, T.C.; Cardenas, V.A.; Studholme, C.; Weiner, M.W. and Meyerhoff, D.J. (2007): Non-treatment- seeking heavy drinkers: Effects of chronic cigarette smoking on brain structure, Drug Alcohol Depend.; 87 (1): 76-82.
[13] Mortamet, B.; Zeng, D.; Gering, G.; Prastawa, M. and Bullitt, E. (2005): Effects of healthy aging measured by intracranial compartment volumes using a designed MR brain database, Int. Conf. Med. Image Comput. Assist. Interv; 8 (pt 1): 383-391.
[14] Hagga, J.R.; Lanzieri, C.F. and Gilkenson, R. C. (2003): “CT and MRI imaging of the whole Body” fourth edition, volume 1, chapter 4, Mosby, Inc. Philadelphia, USA, P. 88-123 and 351.
[15] Wanifuchi, H.; Shimizu, T. and Maruyama, T. (2002): Age-related changes in the proportion of intracranial cerebrospinal fluid space measured using volumetric computerized tomography scanning, J. Neurosurg.; 97 (3): 607-610.
[16] Gur, R.C.; Gunning, D.F.; Turetsky, B.I.; Bilker, W.B. and Gur, R. E. (2002): Brain region and sex differences in age association with brain volume, Am. J. Geriatr. Psychiatry; 10 (1): 72-80.
[17] Meese, W.; Kluge, W.; Grumme, T. and Hopfenmuller, W. (1980): CT evaluation of the CSF spaces of healthy persons. Neuroradiology; 19: 131-136.
[18] Koller, W.C.; Glatt, S.L.; Perlik, S.; Huckman, M.S. and Fox, J.H. (1981): Cerebellar atrophy demonstrated by computed tomography. Neurology ; 31: 405-412.
[19] Hatazawa, J.; Ito, M.; Yamaura, H. and Matsuzawa, T. (1982): Sex difference in brain atrophy during aging, a quantitative study with computed tomography, J. Am, Geriatr. Soc.; 30 (4): 235-239.
[20] Skullerud, K. (1985): Variations in the size of the human brain. Influence of age, sex, body length body mass index, alcoholism, Alzheimer changes and cerebral atherosclerosis, Acta neurol. Scand. Suppl.; 102: 91-94.
[21] Larkin, M. (1998): Brain shrinkage more rapid in men than in women, lancet; 351 (9102): 575-576.
[22] Lemaitre, H.; Crivello, F.; Grassiot, B.; Alperovitch, A.; Tzourio, C. and Mazoyer, B. (2005): Age and sex- related effects on the neuroanatomy of healthy elderly, Neuroimage.; 26 (3) 900-911.
[23] Carne, R.P.; Vogrin S.; Litewka, L. and Cook, M.J. (2006): Cerebral cortex: on MRI- based study of volkume and variance with age and sex, J. Clin. Neuro Sci.; 13 (1) 60-72.
[24] Raz, N.; Dupuis, J. H.; Briggs, S.D.; Mc Gavran, C. and Acker, J.D. (1998): Differential effects of age and sex on the cerebellar hemispheres and the vermis: A prospective MR study, Am. J. Neuroadiol.; 19: 65-71.
[25] Walhovd, K.B.; Fjell, A.M.; Reinvang, I.; Lundervold, A. and Dale, A.M. (2005): Effects of age on volumes of cortex, white matter and subcortical structures, Neurobiol Aging; 26 (9): 1261- 1270.
[26] Xenose, C.; Sgouros, S. and Natarjan, K. (2002): Ventricular volume change in childhood, J. Neurosurg.; 97 (3): 584-590.
[27] Salat, D.H.; Buckner, R.L.; Synder, A.Z.; Grere, D.N. and Fischl, B. (2004): Thinning of the cerebral cortex in aging, Cereb. Cortex; 14 (7): 721-730.
[28] J.D. Usman, G.H. Yunusa, S.A. Saidu, A.D. Zagga, A. Bello, A. Abdulhameed, S.S. Bello, A.A. Tadros and S.M. Bello: Cephalometric Assessment of the Fourth Ventricles Using Computerized Tomography: A Five Year Study in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto. Nigerian Journal of Basic and Applied Science (September, 2012), 20(3): 208-212.
[29] Rabindra N. Padhy: Age-related Changes in Ventricular System of Brain in Normal Individuals Assessed by Computed Tomography Scans. vol 66, No. 6, November-December 2014.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Abd El-Wanees A. Al-Awdan, Saadia A. Shalaby, Essam M. Mehlab, Amal M. El Shazly. (2015). Age-related Measurements and Indices of Normal Human Brain Fourth Ventricle: A Computed Tomography Study. International Journal of Clinical and Developmental Anatomy, 1(2), 22-31. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijcda.20150102.12

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Abd El-Wanees A. Al-Awdan; Saadia A. Shalaby; Essam M. Mehlab; Amal M. El Shazly. Age-related Measurements and Indices of Normal Human Brain Fourth Ventricle: A Computed Tomography Study. Int. J. Clin. Dev. Anat. 2015, 1(2), 22-31. doi: 10.11648/j.ijcda.20150102.12

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Abd El-Wanees A. Al-Awdan, Saadia A. Shalaby, Essam M. Mehlab, Amal M. El Shazly. Age-related Measurements and Indices of Normal Human Brain Fourth Ventricle: A Computed Tomography Study. Int J Clin Dev Anat. 2015;1(2):22-31. doi: 10.11648/j.ijcda.20150102.12

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.ijcda.20150102.12,
      author = {Abd El-Wanees A. Al-Awdan and Saadia A. Shalaby and Essam M. Mehlab and Amal M. El Shazly},
      title = {Age-related Measurements and Indices of Normal Human Brain Fourth Ventricle: A Computed Tomography Study},
      journal = {International Journal of Clinical and Developmental Anatomy},
      volume = {1},
      number = {2},
      pages = {22-31},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijcda.20150102.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijcda.20150102.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijcda.20150102.12},
      abstract = {Objectives: To detect average dimensions and indices of normal brain cerebral hemispheres and fourth ventricles in relation to age and gender. Subjects & Methods: 135 subjects; 70 males (M) and 65 females (F) were categorized into 4 age groups (G): GM1 & GF1 included subjects 60 years old. CT imaging was conducted according to Agapejev; using high resolution scanner for measuring the fourth ventricle; the fourth ventricular anteroposterior diameter (AP), laterolateral diameter and fourth ventricular indices. Results: As regard the measured parameter of the fourth ventricle, the anteroposterior diameter (AP) and the laterolateral diameter (LL) showed a significant increase after the age of forty in both sexes. The indices of the fourth ventricle (AP/CR) and (AP/ff) showed no significant changes with age and sex but these indices had some degree of changes during human life time. On the other hand the only index that does not suffer influence of age and sex at all, it was (AP/LL) index. Considering the sex difference in ventricular dilatation in the present work, AP/LL was the only parameters which showed no difference between males and females so considered as (sentinel index of the fourth ventricle). Conclusion: The dimensions of the normal brain ventricles increased gradually and steadily between the age of one and fifty years, however they increased markedly and significantly thereafter in both sexes. This may be due to a physiological brain atrophy that may be encountered in most elderly individuals. Ventricular system was larger in males than that of females of all age groups.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Age-related Measurements and Indices of Normal Human Brain Fourth Ventricle: A Computed Tomography Study
    AU  - Abd El-Wanees A. Al-Awdan
    AU  - Saadia A. Shalaby
    AU  - Essam M. Mehlab
    AU  - Amal M. El Shazly
    Y1  - 2015/06/17
    PY  - 2015
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijcda.20150102.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijcda.20150102.12
    T2  - International Journal of Clinical and Developmental Anatomy
    JF  - International Journal of Clinical and Developmental Anatomy
    JO  - International Journal of Clinical and Developmental Anatomy
    SP  - 22
    EP  - 31
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2469-8008
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijcda.20150102.12
    AB  - Objectives: To detect average dimensions and indices of normal brain cerebral hemispheres and fourth ventricles in relation to age and gender. Subjects & Methods: 135 subjects; 70 males (M) and 65 females (F) were categorized into 4 age groups (G): GM1 & GF1 included subjects 60 years old. CT imaging was conducted according to Agapejev; using high resolution scanner for measuring the fourth ventricle; the fourth ventricular anteroposterior diameter (AP), laterolateral diameter and fourth ventricular indices. Results: As regard the measured parameter of the fourth ventricle, the anteroposterior diameter (AP) and the laterolateral diameter (LL) showed a significant increase after the age of forty in both sexes. The indices of the fourth ventricle (AP/CR) and (AP/ff) showed no significant changes with age and sex but these indices had some degree of changes during human life time. On the other hand the only index that does not suffer influence of age and sex at all, it was (AP/LL) index. Considering the sex difference in ventricular dilatation in the present work, AP/LL was the only parameters which showed no difference between males and females so considered as (sentinel index of the fourth ventricle). Conclusion: The dimensions of the normal brain ventricles increased gradually and steadily between the age of one and fifty years, however they increased markedly and significantly thereafter in both sexes. This may be due to a physiological brain atrophy that may be encountered in most elderly individuals. Ventricular system was larger in males than that of females of all age groups.
    VL  - 1
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Anatomy Department, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha City, Egypt

  • Anatomy Department, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha City, Egypt

  • Anatomy Department, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha City, Egypt

  • Anatomy Department, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha City, Egypt

  • Sections