HAND AND SEX DIFFERENCES IN THE ISTHMUS AND GENU OF THE HUMAN CORPUS CALLOSUM: A POSTMORTEM MORPHOLOGICAL STUDY
Abstract
The midsagittal area of the corpus callosum was measured in its entirety and in seven subdivisions in a sample of 50 brains consecutively obtained from autopsies of individuals who had neuropsychological testing before death. A 12-item test of hand preference was used as an index of the pattern of interhemispheric functional asymmetry. Callosal size was analysed for two factors: hand preference, classified as consistent-right-hand preference (CRH) versus non consistent-right-hand preference, and sex. The group of nCRH (n = 18) was found to have a larger overall callosal area, with the greatest difference occurring in the posterior body segments, especially the isthmus. The isthmus probably includes interhemispheric fibres from posterior parietal and superior temporal cortex which involves cortical regions related to functional asymmetry. The results of variation in callosal morphology are discussed as part of a possible substrate of functional asymmetry and due to variation in axonal elimination in early brain development. Sex differences were found in several aspects of callosal anatomy. (1) The difference between hand groups in the posterior body occurred in interaction with sex:handedness was a factor in callosal size in males (n = 15), but not in females (n = 35). This result is consistent with the general hypothesis of females having less clear lateralization than males. (2) Females did not have a larger overall callosum or a larger splenium, either in absolute size or size proportional to brain weight. The latter measure was considered since callosal area correlated with cerebrum weight (r = 0.48). In contrast, female of both hand groups were found to have a larger proportional isthmus compared to CRH males. (3) Of all callosal regions, only the genu and a part of the anterior body were found to be larger in absolute size in males than females. (4) Callosal size decreased with chronological age in males, but not in females.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The largest reduction at Witelson subdivision 3 (rostral body) indicates disruption of fiber tracts originating in pre-/supplementary motor regions.
“Furthermore, the largest reduction at Witelson subdivision 3 (rostral body) indicates disruption of fiber tracks originating in pre-/supplementary motor regions (35).”
From A Meta-Analysis of the Corpus Callosum in Autism (2009) · cites this paper as [35]
The corpus callosum is the main fiber tract connecting the hemispheres and is topographically organized.
“The corpus callosum (CC) is the main fiber tract connecting the hemispheres and is topographically organized (35).”
From A Meta-Analysis of the Corpus Callosum in Autism (2009) · cites this paper as [35]
Witelson subdivision 3 (rostral body) contains fiber tracts originating in pre-/supplementary motor regions.
“Witelson sub-division 3 (rostral body) showed the largest effect, indicating greatest reduction in the region containing pre-/supplementary motor neurons.”
From A Meta-Analysis of the Corpus Callosum in Autism (2009) · cites this paper as [35]
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Trajectories of brain development: point of vulnerability or window of opportunity?
Andersen, S. L. (2003) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/s0149-7634(03)00005-8 · Cited by 1,503 · see citing works
Quantitative brain magnetic resonance imaging in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
Castellanos, F. X. (1996) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1996.01830070053009 · Cited by 1,183 · see citing works
Just, M. A., Cherkassky, V. L., Keller, T. A., Kana, R. K., & Minshew, N. J. (2007) · Cerebral Cortex · doi:10.1093/cercor/bhl006 · Cited by 1,081 · see citing works
Developmental traumatology part II: brain development∗∗See accompanying Editorial, in this issue.
De Bellis, M. D., Keshavan, M. S., Clark, D. B., Casey, B. J., Giedd, J. N., Boring, A. M., Frustaci, K., & Ryan, N. D. (1999) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s0006-3223(99)00045-1 · Cited by 974 · see citing works
Gur, R. C., Turetsky, B. I., Matsui, M., Yan, M., Bilker, W., Hughett, P., & Gur, R. E. (1999) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.19-10-04065.1999 · Cited by 909 · see citing works
Meta-analysis of structural imaging findings in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Valera, E. M., Faraone, S. V., Murray, K. E., & Seidman, L. J. (2007) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.06.011 · Cited by 891 · see citing works
Functional connectivity in a baseline resting-state network in autism
Cherkassky, V. L., Kana, R. K., Keller, T. A., & Just, M. A. (2006) · NeuroReport · doi:10.1097/01.wnr.0000239956.45448.4c · Cited by 622 · see citing works
Sentence comprehension in autism: thinking in pictures with decreased functional connectivity
Kana, R. K. (2006) · Brain · doi:10.1093/brain/awl164 · Cited by 530 · see citing works
Gender development and the human brain
Hines, M. (2011) · Annual Review of Neuroscience · doi:10.1146/annurev-neuro-061010-113654 · Cited by 378 · see citing works
Kana, R. K., Keller, T. A., Cherkassky, V. L., Minshew, N. J., & Just, M. A. (2009) · Social Neuroscience · doi:10.1080/17470910802198510 · Cited by 319 · see citing works
Paulson, P. E., Minoshima, S., Morrow, T. J., & Casey, K. L. (1998) · Pain · doi:10.1016/s0304-3959(98)00048-7 · Cited by 325 · see citing works
A Meta-Analysis of the Corpus Callosum in Autism
Frazier, T. W., & Hardan, A. Y. (2009) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.07.022 · Cited by 267 · see citing works
Mapping corpus callosum deficits in autism: An index of aberrant cortical connectivity
Vidal, C. N., Nicolson, R., DeVito, T. J., Hayashi, K. M., Geaga, J. A., Drost, D. J., Williamson, P. C., Rajakumar, N., Sui, Y., Dutton, R. A., et al. (2006) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.11.011 · Cited by 244 · see citing works
Corpus callosum size in autism
Hardan, A. Y., Minshew, N. J., & Keshavan, M. S. (2000) · Neurology · doi:10.1212/wnl.55.7.1033 · Cited by 243 · see citing works
Dennis, E. L., Jahanshad, N., McMahon, K. L., de Zubicaray, G. I., Martin, N. G., Hickie, I. B., Toga, A. W., Wright, M. J., & Thompson, P. M. (2013) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.09.004 · Cited by 222 · see citing works
Jackowski, A. P., Douglas-Palumberi, H., Jackowski, M., Win, L., Schultz, R. T., Staib, L. W., Krystal, J. H., & Kaufman, J. (2008) · Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging · doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2007.08.006 · Cited by 206 · see citing works
Daniels, J. K., Lamke, J.-P., Gaebler, M., Walter, H., & Scheel, M. (2013) · Depression and Anxiety · doi:10.1002/da.22044 · Cited by 190 · see citing works
Towards Conceptualizing a Neural Systems-Based Anatomy of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Makris, N., Biederman, J., Monuteaux, M. C., & Seidman, L. J. (2009) · Developmental Neuroscience · doi:10.1159/000207492 · Cited by 178 · see citing works
“others instead used the 7 subdivisions in the approach of Witelson [”
MethodLong-range synchrony of gamma oscillations and auditory hallucination symptoms in schizophrenia
Mulert, C., Kirsch, V., Pascual-Marqui, R., McCarley, R. W., & Spencer, K. M. (2011) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2010.08.004 · Cited by 165 · see citing works
Bowley, M. P., Cabral, H., Rosene, D. L., & Peters, A. (2010) · Journal of Comparative Neurology · doi:10.1002/cne.22379 · Cited by 162 · see citing works
Dynamic network structure of interhemispheric coordination
Doron, K. W., Bassett, D. S., & Gazzaniga, M. S. (2012) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.1216402109 · Cited by 153 · see citing works
Meta-analysis of magnetic resonance imaging studies of the corpus callosum in schizophrenia
Arnone, D., McIntosh, A. M., Tan, G. M. Y., & Ebmeier, K. P. (2008) · Schizophrenia Research · doi:10.1016/j.schres.2008.01.005 · Cited by 161 · see citing works
Ryan, N. P., Anderson, V., Godfrey, C., Beauchamp, M. H., Coleman, L., Eren, S., Rosema, S., Taylor, K., & Catroppa, C. (2014) · Journal of Neurotrauma · doi:10.1089/neu.2013.3153 · Cited by 107 · see citing works
De Benedictis, A., Petit, L., Descoteaux, M., Marras, C. E., Barbareschi, M., Corsini, F., Dallabona, M., Chioffi, F., & Sarubbo, S. (2016) · Human Brain Mapping · doi:10.1002/hbm.23339 · Cited by 97 · see citing works
Cao, Q., Sun, L., Gong, G., Lv, Y., Cao, X., Shuai, L., Zhu, C., Zang, Y., & Wang, Y. (2010) · Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2009.10.031 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
Wolpe, N., Moore, J. W., Rae, C. L., Rittman, T., Altena, E., Haggard, P., & Rowe, J. B. (2014) · Brain · doi:10.1093/brain/awt302 · Cited by 86 · see citing works
Makinson, R., Lloyd, K., Rayasam, A., McKee, S., Brown, A., Barila, G., Grissom, N., George, R., Marini, M., Fabry, Z., et al. (2017) · Brain Behavior and Immunity · doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2017.07.016 · Cited by 67 · see citing works
Dramsdahl, M., Westerhausen, R., Haavik, J., Hugdahl, K., & Plessen, K. J. (2012) · Psychiatry Research Neuroimaging · doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.08.005 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Kucharsky Hiess, R., Alter, R., Sojoudi, S., Ardekani, B. A., Kuzniecky, R., & Pardoe, H. R. (2015) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-015-2468-8 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Corpus callosum in adolescent offspring exposed prenatally to maternal cigarette smoking
Paus, T., Nawazkhan, I., Leonard, G., Perron, M., Pike, G. B., Pitiot, A., Richer, L., Veillette, S., & Pausova, Z. (2008) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.10.066 · Cited by 61 · see citing works
Hutchinson, A. D., Mathias, J. L., & Banich, M. T. (2008) · Neuropsychology · doi:10.1037/0894-4105.22.3.341 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Brain morphometry shows effects of long-term musical practice in middle-aged keyboard players
Gärtner, H., Minnerop, M., Pieperhoff, P., Schleicher, A., Zilles, K., Altenmüller, E., & Amunts, K. (2013) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00636 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Puberty in the corpus callosum
Chavarria, M. C., Sánchez, F. J., Chou, Y.-Y., Thompson, P. M., & Luders, E. (2014) · Neuroscience · doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.01.030 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Enriched environment increases the myelinated nerve fibers of aged rat corpus callosum
Zhao, Y., Shi, X., Qiu, X., Lu, W., Yang, S., Li, C., Chen, L., Zhang, L., Cheng, G., & Tang, Y. (2012) · The Anatomical Record · doi:10.1002/ar.22446 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
Sanz-Cortes, M., Egaña-Ugrinovic, G., Simoes, R. V., Vazquez, L., Bargallo, N., & Gratacos, E. (2015) · American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology · doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2015.01.041 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Hagmann, C., Singer, J., Latal, B., Knirsch, W., & Makki, M. (2016) · Journal of Child Neurology · doi:10.1177/0883073815591214 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
A Novel Machine Learning Based Framework for Detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Sharif, H., & Khan, R. A. (2022) · Applied Artificial Intelligence · doi:10.1080/08839514.2021.2004655 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
- Authors
- WITELSON, S. F.
- Affiliations
- McMaster University (CA)
- Corresponding author
- WITELSON, SANDRA F.
- Venue
- Brain
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 1989
- Volume
- 112
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 799-835
- ISSN
- 0006-8950 (ISSN-L)
- 1460-2156
- OpenAlex
- W2052169203
- Cited by
- 1,424
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 18 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 39 · 2023: 42 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 39 · 2020: 34 · 2019: 35 · 2018: 31 · 2017: 47 · 2016: 40 · 2015: 61 · 2014: 43 · 2013: 64 · 2012: 64
- FWCI
- 8.10
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Brain (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NS18954, NS62344)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Hemispheric Asymmetry in Neuroscience
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Spatial Neglect and Hemispheric Dysfunction
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
- Keywords
- corpus callosum, handedness, sex differences, splenium, hemispheric lateralization, brain development
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Aging, Analysis of Variance, Corpus Callosum, Female, Humans, Functional Laterality, Male, Middle Aged, Organ Size, Sex Characteristics
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
