What is the major difference between gray matter and white matter in the brain?

The central nervous system of the brain is made up of two kinds of tissue: grey matter and white matter. The grey matter contains the cell bodies, dendrites and the axon terminals, where all synapses are. The white matter is made up of axons, which connect different parts of grey matter to each other.

What is the difference between gray matter and white matter in the brain where is each found quizlet?

The Gray Matter is a gray-colored zone that surrounds the hollow central cavity of the CNS. A mixture of neuron cell bodies of interneurons and motor neurons and neuroglia. Synapses occurs in gray matter. The White Matter contains no neuron cell bodies but millions of axons and neuroglia.

Why is there more white matter than grey matter?

The white matter of the cerebral cortex contains all axons that support long-range cortical connectivity and increases faster in volume than the gray matter, which contains the connected cortical neuronal cell bodies.

What are the differences between grey matter and white matter in terms of composition and location in the CNS organs?

In the brain, grey matter is mainly found in the outer layers, while in the spinal cord it forms the core ‘butterfly’ shape. White matter refers to the areas of the CNS which host the majority of axons, the long cords that extend from neurons.

What is the importance of learning about gray matter and white matter especially in terms of diseases that resulted from its damage?

Even though many diseases affect both the white and the gray matter, it is important to note which diseases occur as a result of damage or trauma or initial changes in white or gray matter. For example, neural diseases that result in disruption of the transit of nerve signals originate from changes in the white matter.

How does GREY and white matter relate to the structure of the neuron?

Grey matter is distinguished from white matter in that it contains numerous cell bodies and relatively few myelinated axons, while white matter contains relatively few cell bodies and is composed chiefly of long-range myelinated axons. The colour difference arises mainly from the whiteness of myelin.

How are gray matter and white matter arranged in the CNS quizlet?

How are gray matter and white matter arranged in the CNS? Gray matter is deep to the superficial white matter in the spinal cord. myelinated axons traveling together in the CNS.

Which of these accurately describes a difference between white and GREY matter?

Which of these accurately describes a difference between white and grey matter? White matter contains axons, while grey matter has cell bodies.

What makes the white matter white?

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.

What is behind the expression Use your gray matter and why is it not entirely accurate?

People use the expression “use your gray matter” when they want a person to think harder. The “gray matter” in this expression is probably a reference to the cerebral hemispheres more generally; the gray cortical sheet (the convoluted surface of the cortex) being the most visible.

What does GREY matter in the brain do?

[6] The grey matter throughout the central nervous system allows enables individuals to control movement, memory, and emotions. Different areas of the brain are responsible for various functions, and grey matter plays a significant role in all aspects of human life.

Why does the proportion of gray to white matter vary along the length of the spinal cord?

The shape and size of the gray matter varies according to spinal cord level. At the lower levels, the ratio between gray matter and white matter is greater than in higher levels, mainly because lower levels contain less ascending and descending nerve fibers.

What is the difference between white and gray matter in the brain?

In the brain, the gray matter is basically the cortex, the white matter lies mainly underneath it. The Cortex is the place where all the higher mental processing takes place (Fig. 1). The white matter in the brain connects the various parts of the cortex so that information can be transported for further processing and integrated.

How does age affect the differentiation of Gray and white matter?

After factor analyses of gray matter volume (from T1- and T2-weighted MRI) and white matter organization (fractional anisotropy from diffusion-weighted MRI), we found evidence for the differentiation of gray and white matter, such that the covariance between brain factors decreased with age.

What is the gray matter of the spinal chord?

2 Answers. Section through spinal chord showing the spinal reflex arches forming the gray matter. Source: APSU Biology The white matter in the spinal chord constitutes the various sensory and motor pathways to and from the brain, respectively. The gray matter constitutes basic processing nuclei that form the reflex arches in the spinal chord.

Do women have more gray matter than men?

Such methods report results consistent with a proportionately higher percentage of gray matter in women. Filipek et al. (1994) studied 20 young adults and reported that, whereas men had larger brain volumes than women, the difference reached significance for WM, but not for GM.