Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Email this article to a Colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Articles & Searches Download to citation manager Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Articles by GIEDD, J. Search for Related Content PubMed Citation Articles by GIEDD, J. Neurodevelopment

Brain Development, IX

Human Brain Growth

Although brain development is most dynamic in utero, several processes affecting brain structure, such as myelination and arborization, persist throughout the childhood and adolescent years (top figure). Magnetic resonance imaging is well-suited for studies of childhood brain development because it uses no ionizing radiation, allowing not only scans of healthy children but even repeated scans of the same individual. Such longitudinal studies, now underway, will be critical for characterizing the nonlinear developmental curves of childhood.

Although total brain volume is about 95% of its adult size by the age of 5 years, various subcomponents of the brain do undergo age-related changes. In general, white matter—an indication of myelination—increases with age, while gray matter decreases with age. The brain's most prominent white matter structure, the corpus callosum, increases about 1.8% per year between ages 3 and 18 years. The bottom figure demonstrates growth of the corpus callosum, the sideways C-shaped white structure in the center of the brain, by showing longitudinal scans of a healthy girl at ages 3 and 9 years. The corpus callosum integrates the activity of the left and right cerebral hemispheres, and increases in corpus callosum size may reflect increased aptitude for higher-order cognitive abilities.

View larger version (59K): [in this window] [in a new window]

Time Course of Critical Events in the Determination of Human Brain Morphometry

FOOTNOTES

Images are courtesy of Dr. Giedd.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. G. Steen, T. Emudianughe, M. Hunte, J. Glass, S. Wu, X. Xiong, and W. E. Reddick Brain Volume in Pediatric Patients with Sickle Cell Disease: Evidence of Volumetric Growth Delay? AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., March 1, 2005; 26(3): 455 - 462. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Hsu, S. Heshka, I. Janumala, M.-Y. Song, M. Horlick, N. Krasnow, and D. Gallagher Larger mass of high-metabolic-rate organs does not explain higher resting energy expenditure in children Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2003; 77(6): 1506 - 1511. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Email this article to a Colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Articles & Searches Download to citation manager Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Articles by GIEDD, J. Search for Related Content PubMed Citation Articles by GIEDD, J. Neurodevelopment

Get information about faster international access.

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 1999 American Psychiatric Association. All rights reserved.

Home | Search | Current Issue | Past Issues | Subscribe | All APPI Journals | Help | Contact Us