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3D Morphometric Analysis of Human Fetal Cerebellar Development

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Abstract

To date, growth of the human fetal cerebellum has been estimated primarily from linear measurements from ultrasound and 2D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In this study, we use 3D analytical methods to develop normative growth trajectories for the cerebellum in utero. We measured cerebellar volume, linear dimensions, and local surface curvature from 3D reconstructed MRI of the human fetal brain (N = 46). We found that cerebellar volume increased approximately 7-fold from 20 to 31 gestational weeks. The better fit of the exponential curve (R 2 = 0.96) compared to the linear curve (R 2 = 0.92) indicated acceleration in growth. Within-subject cerebellar and cerebral volumes were highly correlated (R 2 = 0.94), though the cerebellar percentage of total brain volume increased from approximately 2.4% to 3.7% (R 2 = 0.63). Right and left hemispheric volumes did not significantly differ. Transcerebellar diameter, vermal height, and vermal anterior to posterior diameter increased significantly at constant rates. From the local curvature analysis, we found that expansion along the inferior and superior aspects of the hemispheres resulted in decreased convexity, which is likely due to the physical constraints of the dura surrounding the cerebellum and the adjacent brainstem. The paired decrease in convexity along the inferior vermis and increased convexity of the medial hemisphere represents development of the paravermian fissure, which becomes more visible during this period. In this 3D morphometric analysis of the human fetal cerebellum, we have shown that cerebellar growth is accelerating at a greater pace than the cerebrum and described how cerebellar growth impacts the shape of the structure.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the National Institutes of Health through the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01 NS 061957 and R01 NS 055064), National Center for Research Resources to UCSF-CTSI (UL1 RR024131), and award to O.A.G. (K23 NS52506-03).

Conflict of interest

There are no existing or potential conflicts of interest related to the study presented here.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biomedical Image Computing Group, Departments of Pediatrics, Bioengineering, and Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    Julia A. Scott, Vidya Rajagopalan, Piotr A. Habas & Kio Kim

  2. Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA

    Kia S. Hamzelou

  3. Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94131, USA

    A. James Barkovich & Orit A. Glenn

  4. Biomedical Image Computing Group, Division of Neonatology, Departments of Pediatrics, Bioengineering and Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    Colin Studholme

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  1. Julia A. Scott
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Correspondence to Julia A. Scott.

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Scott, J.A., Hamzelou, K.S., Rajagopalan, V. et al. 3D Morphometric Analysis of Human Fetal Cerebellar Development. Cerebellum 11, 761–770 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12311-011-0338-2

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