Table of Contents
What is the role of white matter?
Function. White matter is the tissue through which messages pass between different areas of grey matter within the central nervous system. This myelin is found in almost all long nerve fibers, and acts as an electrical insulation. This is important because it allows the messages to pass quickly from place to place.
What is the white matter of the spinal cord quizlet?
The white matter of the spinal cord is composed of myelinated and nonmyelinated nerve fibers that allow communication between different parts of the spinal cord and between the cord and brain.
What is the function of grey matter in the spinal cord?
The grey matter includes regions of the brain involved in muscle control, and sensory perception such as seeing and hearing, memory, emotions, speech, decision making, and self-control. The grey matter in the spinal cord is split into three grey columns: The anterior grey column contains motor neurons.
What is the function of grey matter and white matter?
Namely, the gray matter contains glial cells, axon tracts, neuropil (glia, dendrites, and unmyelinated axons), as well as capillary blood vessels (1). The white matter contains the glial cells responsible for the production of myelin (the oligodendrocytes) and the astrocytes (1).
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.
Where is the white matter in the spinal cord?
brain
White matter in the spinal cord is sometimes called superficial tissue because it is located in the outer regions of the brain and spinal cord. Gray matter is situated closer to the center of the central nervous system.
What does the white matter of the spinal cord mostly contain?
White matter is one of the two components of the central nervous system. It consists mostly of glial cells and myelinated axons and forms the bulk of the deep parts of the brain and the superficial parts of the spinal cord.
Where is the white matter in the spinal cord quizlet?
White matter in the spinal cord makes up the external portion, and is myelinated. It is partitioned into three funiculus: posterior funiculus lies between the grey horns of the posterior side of the cord and the posterior median sulcus.
Why is white matter white?
Why is white matter on the outside of the spinal cord?
The type of fat in myelin makes it look white, so myelin-dense white matter takes on a white hue as well. The spinal cord, which transmits nerve impulses to and from the rest of the body, has the opposite arrangement: gray matter at its core with insulating white matter on the outside.
What is white matter in MRI?
White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are lesions in the brain that show up as areas of increased brightness when visualised by T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). WMH’s are also referred to as Leukoaraiosis and are often found in CT or MRI’s of older patients.
What is the function of white matter quizlet?
White matter in brain is known as the cerebral white matter. The white matter deep to the cortical gray matter is responsible for communication between cerebral areas and between the cerebral cortex and lower CNS.