Gender differences in the size of the lateral ventricles in newborns

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study gender differences in the lateral ventricles in newborns. For the study, we used the data on the sizes of the lateral ventricle parts of 120 newborns (60 boys and 60 girls), namely: the length and width of the anterior horn, the length and width of the central part, the length and width of the posterior horn, the length of the lower horn, the anteroposterior size of the lateral ventricle, the distance between the anterior horns of the lateral ventricles, the distance between the posterior horns of the lateral ventricles. Our statistical analysis revealed significant differences in the sizes of parts of the lateral ventricles of newborn boys and girls: the length of the anterior horn of the right and left lateral ventricles in girls is greater than in boys, and the length of the central part of the right and left lateral ventricles in boys exceeded that in girls, with the central part of the left lateral ventricle in girls turned out to be wider. Differences in the size of the hind horn were also established: the length in boys exceeded that in girls both on the right and on the left, and the width differed only on the left - in girls it was somewhat narrower, in addition, the distance between the hind horns in girls was greater. The lower horn of the right and left lateral ventricles in girls is much longer than in boys. The anteroposterior size of the lateral ventricles both on the right and on the left in boys exceeded that in girls. In addition, the data obtained make it possible to judge the interhemispheric asymmetry of the lateral ventricles: the length of the anterior horn of the left lateral ventricle was greater than the length of the anterior horn of the right lateral ventricle as in boys, so in girls, the length of the central part of the right lateral ventricle in girls is greater than that of the left, the width of the posterior horn of the left lateral ventricle in boys is greater than that of the right, the lower horn of the right lateral ventricle in boys is longer than that of the left, the anteroposterior size of the right lateral ventricle in girls surpasses that on the left. Enphalometric indicators obtained during the study indicate the presence of sexual variability of the lateral ventricles and interhemispheric asymmetry.