HEAD CIRCUMFERENCE AND CELLULAR GROWTH OF BRAIN IN NORMAL AND MARASMIC CHILDREN

The relationship between increasing head circumference and cellular growth of thebrain was examined in normal children and in children who died of severe malnutrition during the first year of life. Weight and protein content of the brain increase hyperbolically when compared with head circumference, but linearly when compared with the theoretical cranial volume calculated from head circumference. In contrast, increase in total brain DNA content is linearly related directly to changes in head circumference. In marasmic infants who died as a result of their severe malnutrition, brain weight and protein were reduced proportionally to head circumference. DNA content (cell number) was reduced as much as, and in 3 cases more than, head circumference. These data strongly support the validity of using changes in head circumference as a measure of postnatal brain growth in normal and malnourished infants. © 1969 The C. V. Mosby Company.