Citation

Sowell ER, Thompson PM, Toga AW. Neuroscientist 2004; 10(4): 372-392.

Affiliation

David Geffen School of Medicine, Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles 90095-1769, USA. esowell@loni.ucla.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1073858404263960

PMID

15271264

Abstract

In this review, the authors summarize the literature on brain morphological changes that occur throughout the human life span from childhood into old age. They examine changes observed postmortem and in vivo where various brain MRI analytic methods have been applied. They evaluate brain changes observed with volumetric image analytic methods and voxel-based morphometric methods that may be used to better localize where changes occur. The primary focus of the review is on recent studies using state-of-the-art cortical pattern-matching techniques to assess age-related changes in cortical asymmetries, gray matter distribution, and brain growth across various age spans. The authors attempt to integrate findings from the in vivo studies with results from postmortem studies and analyze the complicated question of when brain maturation stops and brain aging begins. Analyzing the regional patterns of change initiated at various ages may help elucidate relationships between changing brain morphology and changing cognitive functions that occur throughout life. Long-range longitudinal studies, correlations between imaging and postmortem data, and more advanced image acquisition and analysis technologies will be needed to fully interpret brain morphological changes observed in vivo in relation to development and aging.