IngentaConnect Cerebral asymmetry in a selected Chinese population

Authors: Wang, Yi-Xiang¹; He, Guo-Xiang¹; Tong, Guo-Hai¹; Wang, Den-Bing¹; Xu, Kai-Ye¹

Source: Australasian Radiology, Volume 43, Number 3, August 1999 , pp. 321-324(4)

Abstract:

Previous studies have demonstrated anatomical differences between the two cerebral hemispheres and ethnic differences in cerebral asymmetry. This study examined asymmetry of Chinese living in Shanghai. Measurements were taken across the frontal, mid-cerebral and occipital regions from normal head computed tomography (CT) scans of 200 Chinese Shanghai residents (100 male and 100 female, aged 6-73 years, average 48.7 years). The results were compared with reported data in the literature. The following results were found: (i) In the frontal region the right side was larger than the left in 57.5% of cases, equal in 10.5% and smaller in 32% of cases; in the mid-cerebral region the right side was larger than the left in 65.5% of cases, equal in 12.5% and smaller in 22% of cases; in the occipital regions the right side was larger than the left in 34.5% of cases, equal in 8.5% and smaller in 57% of cases. The average right-left differences between the frontal, mid-cerebral and occipital regions were 0.43 mm, 0.9 mm and 0.4 mm respectively. No difference in cerebral asymmetry existed between males and females. The occipital lobes showed the greatest individual asymmetry. The distribution of cerebral asymmetry of Chinese in Shanghai showed similarity to North American Whites rather than North American Blacks, but the average right-left differences were smaller than those of Whites.

Keywords: asymmetry; brain; Chinese; ethnic differences

Document Type: Original article

DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-1673.1999.433683.x

Affiliations: 1: Department of Radiology, Rui Jin Hospital, SSMU, Shanghai, People's Republic of China

The full text electronic article is available for purchase. You will be able to download the full text electronic article after payment.

$50.16 plus tax Refund Policy