What is the gray matter of the brain?
The gray matter, named for its pink-gray color, houses neural cell bodies, axon endings and dendrites, and all nerve synapses. This brain tissue is abundant in the cerebellum, cerebrum, and brainstem. It also forms a butterfly-shaped part of the central spinal cord.
What is the name of the central gray matter?
The cerebellum is similar to the cerebrum in that each hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body and is covered with gray matter and superficial folds. The vermis, a constricted central area, connects the hemispheres.
Is gray matter in the center of the brain?
White matter is buried in the inner layer of the cerebral cortex, while gray matter is mostly found on the surface of the brain. The spinal cord is organized in reverse, with the gray matter deep within its core and the insulating white matter wrapped around the outside.
What are the 3 functions of the gray matter in the CNS?
The cerebral cortex has several important functions. These include learning, memory, cognitive processes and attention. In addition, gray matter function in the cerebellum is related to motor control, balance, precision, and coordination. impairs normal sensory and motor functions.
What happens when you lose gray matter?
Spinal Cord Injury When the axon bundles of the spinal cord are damaged, the connection between the brain and the gray matter of the spinal cord is lost. This can lead to paralysis and sensory problems, which are usually permanent if the neurons' cell bodies are damaged.
What is the difference between GRAY and white matter in the brain?
The brain's central nervous system is made up of two types of tissue: gray matter and white matter. Gray matter contains the cell bodies, dendrites, and axon terminals, where all synapses are found. White matter is made up of axons that connect different parts of the gray matter together.
What is the name of the center of your brain?
Brainstem The brainstem (half of the brain) connects the brain to the spinal cord. The brainstem includes the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.
What is the gray matter in the spinal cord?
The gray matter at the center of the spinal cord is butterfly-shaped and consists of cell bodies of interneurons and motor neurons, as well as neuroglial cells and unmedullated axons. The gray matter projections (the wings) are called horns.
What is periaqueductal GRAY?
The periaqueductal gray (PAG) is a key structure in the propagation and modulation of pain, in sympathetic responses, and in the learning and acting of defensive and aversive behaviors. ... The PAG is also involved in risk assessment and response to threats, and assists in defensive behaviors.
Where is the gray matter in the brain?
Unlike the structure of the spinal cord, the gray matter of the brain is in the outermost layer. The gray matter that surrounds the brain is called the cerebral cortex. There are two main cortices in the brain, the cerebral cortex and the cerebellar cortex.
Where is the gray matter nucleus located?
Where could a gray matter nucleus be located? In the brain and spinal cord.
Where is the white matter?
Brain White matter is found in the deeper (subcortical) tissues of the brain. 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 sheath called myelin. Myelin gives the white matter its color.
What is the function of the white matter of the brain?
Long thought to be passive tissue, white matter affects learning and brain function by modulating the distribution of action potentials, acting as a relay, and coordinating communication between different brain regions. White matter is named for its relatively clear appearance due to the lipid content of myelin.
Why are the gray and white matter of the human nervous system named like this?
Axons are wrapped in myelin, which insulates them and allows them to send signals quickly. The type of fat in myelin looks white, as does the white matter. The gray matter is mostly what you call glial cells. These cells are not surrounded by white myelin and therefore take on a grayish color.
What is the difference between the White Matter Quiz and the Gray Matter Quiz?
Gray matter is a gray colored area that surrounds the hollow central cavity of the CNS. … White matter contains no cell bodies of neurons but millions of axons and neuroglia. Axons ascend or descend from the spinal cord to the brain to communicate.
Can you regrow gray matter?
New neurons grow regularly in some regions of the brain: the olfactory bulb, striatum, and hippocampus. (Maybe in other places too). The gray matter grows and grows regularly, but it's not the gray matter that's been lost.
Can you lose gray matter?
Gray Matter Loss As we age, it's normal for the brain and gray matter to lose volume, which in turn can affect memory and executive function. … Gray matter is an important part of this process.
Can Gray Matter Regrow?
The damage essentially disrupts or limits communication between areas of the gray matter (cell bodies of neurons and dendrites, neuropil, glial cells, and capillaries). ... As long as the cell bodies of neurons remain healthy, axons can slowly regrow and repair themselves.
What are the two main differences between gray matter and white matter?
White matter is found in both the brain and spinal cord. But gray matter is the main component of the brain. The key difference between white matter and gray matter is that white matter is mostly made up of myelinated axons while gray matter is mostly made up of cell bodies, axon terminals, and dendrites.
What is the difference between white and gray matter in the brain and spinal cord?
In the brain, gray matter resides primarily in the outer layers, while in the spinal cord it forms the "butterfly-shaped" nucleus. White matter refers to the areas of the CNS that house most axons, the long cords that radiate from neurons.
Is the brain's gray matter good or bad?
The gray matter changes occurred in the hippocampus, the part of the brain thought to be crucial for memory. It's an important structure for healthy cognition throughout people's lives, the study found, and is centrally involved in many functions, including spatial navigation, episodic memory, and stress regulation.
What is the hippocampus?
The hippocampus is a complex brain structure that is deeply embedded in the temporal lobe. It plays an important role in learning and memory. It is a plastic and vulnerable structure that is damaged by a variety of stimuli. Studies have shown that it is also involved in a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders.
What are the parts of the brain called?
The brain consists of three main parts: the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brainstem.
What is a rectangle?
Medulla oblongata: The base of the brain formed by the enlarged upper portion of the spinal cord. The medulla oblongata directly controls breathing, blood flow, and other important functions.
What is the function of the gray and white matter in the spinal cord?
The gray matter contains nerve cells, dendrites, and axon endings, while the white matter is made up of axons and myelin and plays a key role in nerve cells' ability to connect to each other. Damage to a variety of tissues can impair the ability of the central nervous system to function properly.
What does increased gray matter mean?
An increase in activity can represent the use of more regions/connections, while a decrease can indicate efficiency. This means that both increases and decreases in activity can indicate improvements in learning. The same may be true of gray matter plasticity.
What does the periaqueductal gray matter release?
Stimulation of midbrain periaqueductal gray activates enkephalin-releasing neurons, which project to raphe nuclei in the brainstem. ... The periaqueductal gray is also activated when viewing distressing images associated with pain.
What is the function of the periaqueductal gray of the brainstem quizlet?
What is the function of the periaqueductal gray in the brainstem? The brainstem midbrain contains the periaqueductal gray matter, which is the main control center for eliminating pain. Respiratory rate control is a function of the pneumotactic center located in the midbrain pons.
What neurotransmitter is released by the periaqueductal gray?
The inhibition induced by stimulation of the periaqueductal gray matter of dorsal horn nociceptive neurons in rats is associated with the release of norepinephrine, serotonin and amino acids.
perrine juillion
After graduating from ENSAT (Toulouse National School of Agronomy) in Plant Sciences in 2018, I did a CIFRE PhD in Avignon between 2019 and 2022 on behalf of Sun'Agri and INRAE. My final thesis aimed to investigate dynamic agrovoltaic systems. , in my case in arboriculture. I love writing and sharing science related stuff here on my website. I am currently still working as an R&D engineer at Sun'Agri.