CHANGES OF THE THICKNESS OF HUMAN BRAIN PREFRONTAL CORTEX FROM BIRTH TO 20 YEARS

Using the histological techniques, computer morphometry and statistical analysis, age changes of prefrontal cortex thickness (PCT) were studied in the apical portions of gyri in areas 8, 10, 44, 45 and 32/10 in left human cerebral hemispheres of 121 individual aged from birth to 20 years with annual intervals. It was found that in the newborns PCT was the greatest in areas 10 and 44 and the smallest - in 45. From birth up to 20 years the greatest velocity of PCT growth was observed in areas 10 and 45, and the smallest - in area 44. The significant increase in PCT average group values was observed during the 1st year of life in all the areas explored, by 2 years - in areas 10 and 45, by 3 years - in areas 8, 32/10, and 44, by 6 years- in areas 8, 10 and 45, by 7 years - in areas 32/10 and 44. The tendency for PCT increase at the superior lateral surface of a frontal lobe until 10-12 years was demonstrated. The results obtained demonstrate that if PCT is used as a diagnostic parameter or a functionally significant marker during the study of brain in children and teenagers, it is necessary to take into consideration the age-related peculiarities of its increase as well as specificity of rate of its development in various cortical fields.

brain, prefrontal cortex, cortical thickness, cerebral cortex development, human postnatal ontogenesis