what is white matter ?
what is white matter？
White matter is found in the deeper tissues of the brain (subcortical). It contains nerve fibers (axons), which are extensions of nerve cells (neurons). Many of these nerve fibers are surrounded by a type of sheath or covering called myelin. Myelin gives the white matter its color.2021年1月28日
Long,What is white matter in simple terms?
White matter is the tissue through which messages pass between different areas of grey matter within the central nervous system. The white matter is white because of the fatty substance (myelin) that surrounds the nerve fibers (axons).
In this way,What is the purpose of white matter in the brain?
Function. White matter essentially functions in affecting learning and brain functions, modulating the distribution of action potential, and coordinating communication between the different brain regions.
Similarly,What is gray matter and white matter?
The gray matter is the areas where the actual "processing" is done whereas the white matter provides the communication between different gray matter areas and between the gray matter and the rest of the body. The neurons in the gray matter consist of neuronal cell bodies and their dendrites.
Simply so,Is white matter good?
This accounts for the much faster conduction of myelinated axons, as compared with axons that are not myelinated. With this special cell physiology, white matter ensures that rapid neuronal conduction takes place in the brain, directly contributing to the efficiency of information processing typical of normal cognition.
What is grey matter?
Grey matter (or gray matter) makes up the outermost layer of the brain and is pinkish grey in tone, hence the name grey matter. It gets its grey tone from the high concentration of neuronal cell bodies in contains. Grey matter also contains unmyelinated axons.
What do grey and white matter in the brain represent?
The grey matter represents the high concentration of cell bodies of the neuron. The inner region of cerebrum is composed of white matter which is also called cerebral medulla. The white matter represents the high concentration of axons which gives it lighter appearance.
Is white matter on brain serious?
Originally, white matter disease was considered a normal, age-related change. But over the last decade, medical experts have come to understand that the presence of large areas of disease in the white matter of the brain are associated with cognitive decline and dementia in patients.
Can you stop white matter disease?
While there is no known cure for white matter disease, treatments can help to manage the symptoms. Controlling the risk factors associated with heart disease can help decrease the progression of the disease.
Is white matter normal in the brain?
In the normal brain, white matter appears to provide the essential connectivity, uniting different regions into networks that perform various mental operations.
How serious is white matter disease?
The life expectancy after a diagnosis of white matter disease depends on the speed it progresses and the severity of any other conditions it may cause, like stroke and dementia. White matter disease is believed to be a factor in both strokes and dementia.
At what age does the average human have the most white matter?
It starts and ends with roughly the same amount of white matter and peaks between ages 30 and 50. But each of the 24 regions changes a different amount. Some parts of the brain, like those that control movement, are long, flat arcs, staying relatively stable throughout life.
Can you increase white matter in brain?
Researchers have also demonstrated that using our brains in a specific way can change the structure of white matter. For instance, one experiment found that regularly practicing a musical instrument increases the level of organization within white matter in the areas important for musical performance.