TY - JOUR T1 - Fractal Dimension as an Index of Brain Cortical Changes Throughout Life JF - In Vivo JO - In Vivo SP - 641 LP - 646 VL - 21 IS - 4 AU - ELINA KALMANTI AU - THOMAS G. MARIS Y1 - 2007/07/01 UR - http://iv.iiarjournals.org/content/21/4/641.abstract N2 - The fractal dimension (FD) of the cerebral cortex was measured in 93 individuals, aged from 3 months to 78 years, with normal brain MRI's in order to compare the convolutions of the cerebral cortex between genders and age groups. Image J, an image processing program, was used to skeletonize cerebral cortex and the box counting method applied. FDs on slices taken from left and right hemispheres were calculated. Our results showed a significant degree of lateralization in the left hemisphere. It appears that basal ganglia development, mainly in the left hemisphere, is heavily dependent upon age until puberty. In addition, both left and right cortex development equally depends on age until puberty, while the corresponding right hemisphere convolutions continue to develop until a later stage. An increased developmental activity appears between the ages of 1 and 15 years, indicating a significant brain remodelling during childhood and adolescence. In infancy, only changes in basal ganglia are observed, while the right hemisphere continues to remodel in adulthood. Copyright © 2007 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved ER -