Age-related Changes in Volumes of the Ventricles, Sulci and Periventricular Hyperintensity Area —A Quantitative Study Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging—

Brain atrophy in 47 subjects without neurologic disturbances, ranging in age from 46 to 82 years, was studied using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). More-over, the association of the periventricular hyperintensity area (PVH) recognized with MRI, was also investigated. The volume percentages of the brain, the ventricles and sulci to cranial cavity were calculated as indicators of brain atrophy. The brain volume index decreased and the indeces of the ventricles and sulci linearly increased with age, significantly. The volume ratio of the ventricles to sulci significantly increased with increasing age (p<0.01) and the correlation coefficient was 0.38. This ratio showed negative correlation to the brain volume index. The volume percentage of PVH to the cranial cavity started to increase in the sixties and negatively correlated with the brain volume index. There was positive correlation between the ratio of the ventricles to sulci and the index of PVH.