Neocortical neuron number in humans: Effect of sex and age

  1. Bente Pakkenberg1,*,
  2. Hans Jørgen G. Gundersen2

Article first published online: 6 DEC 1998

DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1096-9861(19970728)384:2<312::AID-CNE10>3.0.CO;2-K

Issue

Journal of Comparative Neurology

Journal of Comparative Neurology

Volume 384, Issue 2, pages 312–320, 28 July 1997

Additional Information

How to Cite

Pakkenberg, B. and Gundersen, H. J. G. (1997), Neocortical neuron number in humans: Effect of sex and age. J. Comp. Neurol., 384: 312–320. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1096-9861(19970728)384:2<312::AID-CNE10>3.0.CO;2-K

Author Information

  1. 1

    Neurological Research Laboratory, Bartholin Instituttet, Kommunehospitalet, 1399 Copenhagen K, Denmark

  2. 2

    Stereological Research Laboratory, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark

*Neurological Research Laboratory, Bartholin Instituttet, Kommunehospitalet, 1399 Copenhagen K, Denmark

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 6 DEC 1998
  2. Article first published online: 6 DEC 1998
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 14 MAR 1997
  4. Manuscript Revised: 8 JAN 1997
  5. Manuscript Received: 20 SEP 1996

Funded by

  • The Danish Medical Research Council
  • The Hartmann Brothers' Foundation
  • The Ferd. and Ellen Hindsgaul Foundation
  • Novo Nordisk Foundation
  • Direktør Emil Hertz and wife Inger Hertz' Foundation

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Keywords:

  • brain volumes;
  • cerebral structure;
  • atrophy;
  • stereology;
  • quantification

Abstract

Modern stereological methods provide precise and reliable estimates of the number of neurons in specific regions of the brain. We decided to estimate the total number of neocortical neurons in the normal human brain and to analyze it with respect to the major macro- and microscopical structural components, to study the internal relationships of these components, and to quantitate the influence of important physiological variables on brain structure. The 94 brains reported represent a consecutive collection of brains from the general Danish population. The average numbers of neocortical neurons were 19 billion in female brains and 23 billion in male brains, a 16% difference. In our study, which covered the age range from 20 years to 90 years, approximately 10% of all neocortical neurons are lost over the life span in both sexes. Sex and age were the main determinants of the total number of neurons in the human neocortex, whereas body size, per se, had no influence on neuron number. Some of the data presented have been analyzed by using new mathematical designs. An equation predicting the total neocortical neuron number in any individual in which sex and age are known is provided. J. Comp. Neurol. 384:312-320, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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