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Computed transverse axial tomography (CT) was employed to examine brain morphometrics in 30 healthy men, aged 21 to 81 years. Seven consecutive CT slices 30 to 80 mm above the inferior orbitomeatal line were analyzed. CT numbers in gray and white matter regions were not correlated significantly with age (p greater than 0.05), nor were right/left ratios for derived parameters. The volume of gray matter was correlated negatively with age (p less than 0.05), and the volume of cerebrospinal fluid correlated positively with age, in the seven slices. The volumes of the lateral and third ventricles were elevated in the elderly, and volumes of the thalamus and lenticular nucleus were reduced. The results demonstrate that brain atrophy, evidenced by a loss of gray matter and by dilatation of cerebrospinal fluid spaces, occurs in the healthy elderly, and provide baseline CT-derived brain morphometric data for healthy men in relation to age.
Schwartz et al. (Fri,) studied this question.