MRI-Based Morphometric Study of the Corpus Callosum in Nigerian Adults

Background: Alterations in the dimensions of the corpus callosum have been linked to conditions like Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This study was designed to investigate the normal cut-off measurements of the corpus callosum. Methods: The cross-sectional study retrospectively assessed the corpus callosum on apparently normal brain Magnetic Resonance scans of 199 adults (91 males, 108 females) aged 20-80 years. The digital radiological storage of a Nigerian Hospital in Delta State was accessed for data collection after institutional authorization was granted. Statistical Package for Social Sciences analyzed the gathered data using the independent t-test for sex comparison and analysis of variance for age-related differences. Inter-variable association was probed using the Pearson’s correlation test. Significance in the inferential statistics was deemed at P<0.05. Results: Sexual dimorphism was observed in the distance of the callosum’s genu and splenium from the frontal and occipital poles of the brain respectively (p= 0.010 and 0.007). The corpus callosum’s length, height, index, and thickness of its genu and splenium exhibited significant disparities across age-groups. The length and height had a positive association with age while the thickness of the splenium had a negative correlation with age (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study provides normative range morphometric values for the normal corpus callosum in adults that will aid in accurate diagnosis and follow-up of neurodegenerative and psychiatric conditions besides planning for corpus callosotomy in epileptic patients.