Sexual dimorphism in the human brain: evaluation of tissue volume, tissue composition and surface anatomy using magnetic resonance imaging.
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to evaluate sex differences in brain morphology by comparing measures of brain tissue volume, brain tissue composition (proportions of gray and white matter), and measures of cortical surface anatomy. A large and well-matched sample of healthy women (n=42) and healthy men (n=42) were evaluated. There was a significant gender effect on intracranial volume, males being larger. However, this increase in size was limited to the cerebrum as there was no sex difference in the volume of the cerebellum. The gender difference in size of the cerebral volume was evenly distributed, with all four lobes equally larger in males compared to females. Gray and white matter tissue proportions were similar between the sexes globally. Regional tissue composition analysis showed sex differences within the parietal lobes with females having proportionately more gray matter on the right side. There were no differences between the sexes in cortical surface anatomy measures. Overall, against the background of similarity in morphology, there are differences between the sexes with regard to general and regional brain measures. The functional significance of these sex differences is unclear, but may represent the differential effects of gonadal hormones during brain growth and development.
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Experimental data has provided a wide range of measured human intracranial volumes (1152-1839 cm3) and total average cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) volume (82-125.3 cm3), with a total brain-cell parenchyma volume of 1319 cm3, including 489 cm3 of white matter and 786 cm3 of gray matter.
“Experimental data has provided a wide range of measured human intracranial volumes (1152–1839 cm3) and total average cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) volume (82–125.3 cm3), with a total brain-cell parenchyma volume of 1319 cm3, including 489 cm3 of white matter and 786 cm3 of gray matter (Vaidyanathana et al., 1997; Nopoulos et al., 2000).”
From Human Brain/Cloud Interface (2019) · cites this paper as Nopoulos et al., 2000
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- Authors
- Nopoulos, P., Flaum, M., O’Leary, D., & Andreasen, N. C.
- Affiliations
- University of Iowa (US)
- Corresponding author
- Nopoulos, Peg
- Venue
- Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2000-02
- Volume
- 98
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1-13
- ISSN
- 0925-4927 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1983994842
- Cited by
- 303
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 19 · 2012: 16
- FWCI
- 13.29
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychiatry Research Neuroimaging (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Iowa State University
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH 40856, MH-31593, MHCRC-43271, R01MH040856)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Sex and Gender in Healthcare
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Sexual Differentiation and Disorders
- Keywords
- sexual dimorphism, brain structure, sex differences, brain tissue volume, intracranial volume, cerebellum, cerebral lobes, parietal lobe, gonadal hormones, brain development
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Brain, Dominance, Cerebral, Female, Humans, Intelligence, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Sex Characteristics
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