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The human pattern of gyrification in the cerebral cortex

Anatomy and Embryology volume 179, pages 173–179 (1988)Cite this article

Summary

The degree of cortical folding found in adult human brains has been analyzed using a gyrification index (GI). This parameter permits the description of a mean value for the whole brain, but also a local specific analysis of different brain regions. Correlation analyses of the GI with age, body weight, body length, brain weight and volume of the prosencephalon and the cortex show no significant results. GI values do not differ significantly between male and female brains, right and left hemispheres or right and left sides of the superior temporal plane. The GI shows maximal values over the prefrontal and the parieto-temporo-occipital association cortex. A comparison between the rostro-caudal GI patterns of human brains and those of prosimians and Old World monkeys shows the largest difference over the prefrontal cortex. The mean GI increases from prosimians to human brains with the highest values for non-human primates being in the pongid group.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Anatomisches Institut der Universität zu Köln, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 9, D-5000, Köln 41, Federal Republic of Germany

    Karl Zilles & Axel Schleicher

  2. Yakovlev Collection, AFIP, Washington D.C.

    Este Armstrong

  3. Department of Anatomy, Uniformed Services, University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD

    Este Armstrong

  4. Anatomisches Institut der Medizinischen Hochschule Hannover, Konstanty-Gutschow-Strasse 8, D-3000, Hannover 61, Federal Republic of Germany

    Hans-Joachim Kretschmann

Authors
  1. Karl Zilles
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  2. Este Armstrong
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  3. Axel Schleicher
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  4. Hans-Joachim Kretschmann
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Additional information

This paper is dedicated to Prof. Dr. J. Lang, Anatomisches Institut der Universität Würzburg, in celebration of his 65th birthday

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Zilles, K., Armstrong, E., Schleicher, A. et al. The human pattern of gyrification in the cerebral cortex. Anat Embryol 179, 173–179 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00304699

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00304699

Key words

  • Human cortex
  • Gyrification
  • Primates
  • Evolution
  • Morphometry