Fluctuating Asymmetry and Individual Variation in Regional Gray and White Matter Volumes: A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study
Year: 2008
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Composite measures of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of skeletal features are commonly used to estimate developmental instability (DI), the imprecise expression of developmental design due to perturbations during an individual's growth and maturation. Though many studies have detailed important behavioral correlates of FA, very little is known about its possible neuroanatomical correlates. In this study we obtained structural brain MRI scans from 20 adults and utilized voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to identify specific regions linked to FA. Greater FA predicted greater whole brain white matter volume, and a trend in the same direction was noted for whole brain gray matter volume. Greater FA was associated with significantly greater gray and white matter volumes in discrete brain regions, most prominently in the frontal lobes and in the right cerebral hemisphere. Developmental studies are needed to identify when FA-related brain differences emerge and to elucidate the specific neurobiological mechanisms leading to these differences.
Source: Evolutionary Psychology
Institutions: University of New Mexico, Mind Research Network
Language: English
Subfield: Geometry and Topology
Field: Mathematics
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,000
OpenAlex ID: W2233489893