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5 - The immature brain

from Section II - Normal appearances

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2009

By
Janet M. Rennie ,
Cornelia F. Hagmann  and
Nicola J. Robertson
Edited by
Janet M. Rennie ,
Cornelia F. Hagmann  and
Nicola J. Robertson
Janet M. Rennie
Affiliation:
Consultant and Senior Lecturer in Neonatal Medicine, UCL Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health, University College London Hospitals
Cornelia F. Hagmann
Affiliation:
Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Neonatologist, UCL Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health, University College London Hospitals
Nicola J. Robertson
Affiliation:
Senior Lecturer in Neonatology and Honorary Consultant Neonatologist, UCL Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health, University College London Hospitals
Janet M. Rennie
Affiliation:
University College London
Cornelia F. Hagmann
Affiliation:
University College London
Nicola J. Robertson
Affiliation:
University College London
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Summary

Introduction

The stage of development of the cerebral fissures, sulci, and gyri can give an indication of the degree of maturity of the brain. A gyrus is bounded by two sulci or one sulcus and one fissure. The most important landmarks are the parieto-occipital sulcus (sometimes termed a fissure), the lateral sulcus (Sylvian fissure) and the cingulate sulcus, but there are many others. Chi made a detailed study of 507 brains between 10 and 44 weeks' gestation in order to document the appearance and development of the major sulci and gyri [1], and we have relied on the atlas of Feess-Higgins and Larroche [2], and the more recent book by Garel [3]. The ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearances lag behind the anatomical appearances [4]; the MRI appearances lag by at least a week, with the ultrasound appearances probably taking even longer [5]. There is thus a marked difference in the literature regarding the stage at which the major sulci have been reported to appear according to whether the features were identified with MRI, ultrasound imaging, or at autopsy. The effects of gender, twinning, and intrauterine growth restriction have yet to be evaluated in any detail. We have summarized the information available from various sources in the literature in Tables 5.1 and 5.2. In general, the sulci on the medial surfaces of the hemispheres (the parieto-occipital fissure, the calcarine and cingulate sulcus) appear earlier and are easier to recognize with ultrasound than the convexity sulci.

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Neonatal Cerebral Investigation , pp. 66 - 82
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2008

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References

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  • The immature brain
    • By Janet M. Rennie, Consultant and Senior Lecturer in Neonatal Medicine, UCL Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health, University College London Hospitals, Cornelia F. Hagmann, Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Neonatologist, UCL Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health, University College London Hospitals, Nicola J. Robertson, Senior Lecturer in Neonatology and Honorary Consultant Neonatologist, UCL Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health, University College London Hospitals
  • Edited by Janet M. Rennie, University College London, Cornelia F. Hagmann, University College London, Nicola J. Robertson, University College London
  • Book: Neonatal Cerebral Investigation
  • Online publication: 07 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511544750.007
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  • The immature brain
    • By Janet M. Rennie, Consultant and Senior Lecturer in Neonatal Medicine, UCL Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health, University College London Hospitals, Cornelia F. Hagmann, Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Neonatologist, UCL Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health, University College London Hospitals, Nicola J. Robertson, Senior Lecturer in Neonatology and Honorary Consultant Neonatologist, UCL Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health, University College London Hospitals
  • Edited by Janet M. Rennie, University College London, Cornelia F. Hagmann, University College London, Nicola J. Robertson, University College London
  • Book: Neonatal Cerebral Investigation
  • Online publication: 07 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511544750.007
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • The immature brain
    • By Janet M. Rennie, Consultant and Senior Lecturer in Neonatal Medicine, UCL Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health, University College London Hospitals, Cornelia F. Hagmann, Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Neonatologist, UCL Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health, University College London Hospitals, Nicola J. Robertson, Senior Lecturer in Neonatology and Honorary Consultant Neonatologist, UCL Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health, University College London Hospitals
  • Edited by Janet M. Rennie, University College London, Cornelia F. Hagmann, University College London, Nicola J. Robertson, University College London
  • Book: Neonatal Cerebral Investigation
  • Online publication: 07 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511544750.007
Available formats
×