Quantitative analysis of sulci in the human cerebral cortex: Development, regional heterogeneity, gender difference, asymmetry, intersubject variability and cortical architecture

Abstract

The degree of cortical folding (GI) and the relation between sulci and borders of cyto- and receptorarchitectonically defined areas were analyzed in postmortem human brains. The GI reaches adult levels (with highest values in the association cortices) around birth and does not decrease during aging. It shows a sex-dependent left-over-right asymmetry. Sulci and borders of architectonical areas coincide only in a few examples; thus, sulci are not generally valid landmarks of the microstructural organization of the cortex. Individual sulci were studied in 3D-reconstructed MRI sequences of living brains. A considerable intersubject variability of the distances between the sulcal surfaces of individual brains and their mean sulcal surfaces is apparent. The depth of the central sulcus varies with manual skill and handedness.

Individual 'Fingerprints' in Human Sleep EEG Topography

“…A remarkable interindividual variability in anatomical features of the human cerebral cortex is well documented and has been identified as a major problem for establishing a relationship between structural and functional aspects Zilles et al 1997). This difficulty is compounded by the lack of correspondence between gross morphology and microstructure.…”

Stereologic characterization and spatial distribution patterns of Betz cells in the human primary motor cortex

“…It is generally accepted that Brodmann's area 4 represents the human primary motor cortex, or at least a major part of it. Brodmann's interpretation of area 4 as representing the human primary motor cortex (Brodmann, 1903(Brodmann, , 1905(Brodmann, , 1906(Brodmann, , 1909 has led to misinterpretations, in part because of his schematic drawings, which provide no information about interindividual variability in the shape and cytoarchitecture of the brain (Filimonoff, 1932;Rademacher et al, 1993;Geyer et al, 1996Geyer et al, , 1999Zilles et al, 1997;Schleicher et al, 2000;Amunts et al, 2000). Misinterpretations also arose because of area 4's extension onto the convexity of the precentral gyrus.…”

“…Several factors, such as interindividual and sex differences in brain shape and primary motor cortex size, as well as postmortem tissue shrinkage, must be taken into consideration to assess the precise localization of this zone (Pakkenberg and Gundersen, 1997;Zilles et al, 1997;Amunts et al, 2000). Also, the lack of antemortem functional studies does not allow us to match precisely this zone of maximal clustering with a functional area.…”

Cortical Flattening Applied to High-Resolution 18F-FDG PET

“…This is of particular value in the human brain, where a large proportion of the cortex is buried in the sulci and would not be readily visible on projections in native space (12,31). Partial-volume effects-which cause systematic variation of CMRGlc with cortical anatomy-are minor with the HRRT, indicated by a very smooth distribution of metabolic values with only slight residual partial volume visible at the roofs of the gyri and in the depths of the sulci (Fig.…”

“…The matching of anatomy is a practical surrogate of the actual goal of matching functional locations, which is unknown in a given individual, but consistent to some extent with gyral folding patterns in some areas (9,10) and more variable in others (11,12). All normalization approaches need to deal with variable cortical anatomy and, in particular, with varying patterns of gyration.…”