Scientific Reports· 2026Q1
Sexual dimorphism and hemispheric asymmetry in the morphology of the sylvian fissure: a magnetic resonance imaging based study
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- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
The Type II Sylvian fissure is the most common morphology across sexes and hemispheres (n=520), though Type I predominates in individuals over 50. Older individuals and females show a higher likelihood of Type I and III fissures, while younger individuals have narrower fissures.
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Key points
- Type II Sylvian fissure is the most common morphology in 520 participants, observed in both sexes and hemispheres.
- Type I Sylvian fissure becomes the most common morphology in individuals over 50 years old.
- Older participants and females are more likely to have Type I and III Sylvian fissures.
- Younger participants tend to have narrower Sylvian fissures, while older patients have wider types.
- High concordance (κ = 0.879) indicates strong symmetry in Sylvian fissure morphology between the right and left cerebral hemispheres.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract The Sylvian Fissure, the first sulcus to appear during the embryological period, is considered a conventional passageway by neurosurgeons for surgeries related to insular and temporal horn tumours and aneurysm clipping. This study aimed to report the morphological types of the sylvian fissure, explore their distribution patterns among sexes and age groups, and assess the symmetry of morphology between the right and left cerebral hemispheres. A prospective cross-sectional study was performed with 520 participants who visited the Department of Radiology for brain MRI. The participants were recruited after ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Committee and after written informed consent was obtained from participants. MRI scans were assessed during the reporting of the MRI, and the categorization was performed by a senior radiologist. Statistical methods such as Pearson’s chi-square test, Bowker’s test, and Cohen’s kappa coefficient were used to assess the association and symmetry of the Sylvian fissure morphology. The type II Sylvian fissure was found to be the most prevalent among both males and females and in both right and left hemispheres. It was also the most common in all age groups except for the > 50 years group, where type I was the most common. The assessment of symmetry reported κ = 0.879 (SE = 0.021, p < 0.001), indicating concordance between the right and left hemispheres. Multinomial regression analysis revealed that older participants and females were associated with lower odds of having SF of types I and III in both hemispheres. Younger participants were more likely to have a narrow Sylvian fissure, whereas wider types were more prevalent in older patients. Future studies should focus on exploring the associations between surgical outcomes and Sylvian fissure morphology.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Scientific Reports, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Anatomy
AnatomyMedicine