Background and aim: There is evidence to support the favorable impact of physical activity (PA) on brain volume. However, the empirical evidence exploring the relationship between physical and sedentary behavior remains mixed. We aimed to explore the relationship between PA and sedentary behavior and brain volume. Methods: The study sample (n = 150, mean age = 39.7 years) included patients interviewed with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) who underwent an MRI brain scan. From the images obtained, we measured total intracranial, gray matter, and white matter volume along with the hippocampus, amygdala, parahippocampal gyrus, and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). Multivariable linear regression analysis was done. Results and discussion: Left hippocampus and overall PA were positively and significantly associated (β = 0.71, p = 0.021) whereas time spent on vigorous physical activity showed a negative association (β = −0.328, p = 0.049) with left hippocampal volume. Conclusion: We found a positive association between total PA and the left hippocampus, whereas vigorous PA showed a negative association with the left hippocampus.

Introduction: High-resolution postmortem magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used to assess anomalies and can serve as a complementary tool to conventional autopsy. The main aim of this study was to detect and measure the diameter of cranial nerves across gestation. Methods: This observational study was conducted at a tertiary referral hospital and included 150 fetuses from 14 to 28 weeks of gestation with normal brain findings. Results: The optic nerve was identified the earliest at 15 weeks, with a mean diameter of 0.62 mm at 15 weeks and 1.49 mm at 27 weeks. The oculomotor nerve was identified earliest at 21 weeks, with a mean diameter of 0.94 mm at 21 weeks and 1.21 mm at 27 weeks. The trigeminal nerve was seen earliest at 21 weeks, with a mean diameter of 0.9 mm at 21 weeks and 1.2 mm at 27 weeks. The cranial nerve VII-VIII complex was seen earliest at 18 weeks, with a mean diameter 0.9 mm at 18 weeks and 1.14 mm at 27 weeks. Cranial nerve IX-X-XI was identified earliest at 24 weeks, with a mean diameter of 1.03 mm at 24 weeks and 1.15 mm at 27 weeks. Conclusion: High-resolution postmortem MRI enables visualization and measurement of fetal cranial nerves II, III, V, VII-VIII, and IX-X-XI, whereas cranial nerves I, IV, VI, and XII were not identifiable in our cohort. These findings provide normative reference data for the assessment of fetal cranial nerves in postmortem studies.