Original Article

Brain morphology in normal and dyslexic children: The influence of sex and age

  1. Robert T. Schultz PhD1,
  2. Nam K. Cho BS1,
  3. Lawrence H. Staib PhD2,
  4. Leon E. Kier MD2,
  5. Jack M. Fletcher PhD6,
  6. Sally E. Shaywitz MD1,3,
  7. Donald P. Shankweiler PhD7,
  8. Len Katz PhD7,
  9. John C. Gore PhD2,8,
  10. James S. Duncan PhD2,4,
  11. Dr. Bennett A. Shaywitz MD1,3,5,*

Article first published online: 8 OCT 2004

DOI: 10.1002/ana.410350615

Issue

Annals of Neurology

Annals of Neurology

Volume 35, Issue 6, pages 732–742, June 1994

Additional Information

How to Cite

Schultz, R. T., Cho, N. K., Staib, L. H., Kier, L. E., Fletcher, J. M., Shaywitz, S. E., Shankweiler, D. P., Katz, L., Gore, J. C., Duncan, J. S. and Shaywitz, B. A. (1994), Brain morphology in normal and dyslexic children: The influence of sex and age. Annals of Neurology, 35: 732–742. doi: 10.1002/ana.410350615

Author Information

  1. 1

    Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven

  2. 2

    Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven

  3. 3

    Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven

  4. 4

    Department of Electrical Engineering, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven

  5. 5

    Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven

  6. 6

    Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical School, Houston, TX

  7. 7

    Haskins Laboratories, New Haven

  8. 8

    Department of Applied Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT

*Department of Pediatrics, PO Box 3333, New Haven, CT 06510

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 8 OCT 2004
  2. Article first published online: 8 OCT 2004
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 1 DEC 1993
  4. Manuscript Revised: 24 NOV 1993
  5. Manuscript Received: 22 JUL 1993

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Abstract

Morphometric magnetic resonance imaging techniques were used to compare the convolutional surface area of the planum temporale, temporal lobe volume and superior surface area, and an estimate of overall brain volume in a homogeneous sample of 17 dyslexic children (7 girls) and 14 nonimpaired children (7 girls). Substantial sex differences were apparent for all measured regions, with all the measurements in boys being significantly larger. Age, even within the narrow range employed here (7.5–9.7 years), was positively correlated with the size of each brain region. While initial analyses suggested smaller left hemisphere structures in dyslexics compared to control subjects, subsequent analyses controlling for age and overall brain size revealed no significant differences between dyslexics and nonimpaired children on a variety of measures, in particular surface area and symmetry of the planum temporale. We suggest that differences in subject characteristics (i.e., sex, age, handedness, and definition of dyslexia) as well as procedural variations in the methods used to acquire images and to define and measure anatomical regions of interest such as the planum temporale all may play an important role in explaining apparent discrepant results in the neuroimaging literature on dyslexia.

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