Have you ever heard of gray matter? What is its importance and function? Are there diseases that affect it? Here is the answer in this article. The nervous system consists of two main substances: white matter and gray matter. Learn more about gray matter in the brain and spinal cord in the following article: What is gray matter?

grey

Gray matter is a substance consisting primarily of neurons and is present in the brain and spinal cord. The gray matter is found in the central part of the spinal cord while the gray matter of the brain is found in the outermost layer known as the cerebral cortex.

The gray matter contains a large number of neurons, which allows it to process information and issue new orders that pass through nerve fibers in the white matter. Gray matter makes up one half of the brain, while white matter makes up the other half.

components of gray matter

The components of gray matter are

nervous cells.

The glial cells are composed of astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.

Dendritic branches.

Synapses.

Where is the gray matter located?

Gray matter is located in different regions of the brain and spinal cord. Gray matter is distributed as follows:

Brain: cerebral cortex, thalamus, subthalamus, hypothalamus, and basal ganglia.

Cerebellum: cerebellar cortex, and deep cerebellar nuclei.

Brain stem: red nucleus, olive nucleus, and nuclei of cranial nerves.

Spinal cord: The gray matter is divided into four main parts: the dorsal horn, the medial column, the lateral horn, and the ventral horn.

gray matter function

Gray matter forms different areas of the brain that help control different functions, including the following:

Motor functions: The motor cortex in the brain and the gray matter in the spinal cord help control the muscles and movement of the body.

Sensory perception: The sensory cortex in the brain helps to receive and perceive sensory inputs such as vision, hearing, and touch.

Memory: The hippocampus is one of the parts of the limbic system, and it plays important roles in consolidating memory and transferring information from short-term memory to long-term memory.

Emotions: The limbic system plays an important role in controlling human emotions.

Speech: Broca''s area in the frontal cortex produces speech, while Wernicke''s area in the temporal cortex analyzes the meaning of speech.

Decision making and self-control: This is the primary function of the prefrontal cortex of the brain.

Adjustment of the autonomic nervous system: The limbic system helps to adjust the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

Diseases that may affect the gray matter

There are a number of diseases that may affect shooting, and among these diseases are the following:

1. Alzheimer''s disease

Alzheimer''s disease causes brain atrophy due to the death of neurons in the cerebral cortex, which leads to poor memory, loss of social skills, and difficulty conducting daily activities. Alzheimer''s disease is the most common cause of dementia.

2. Stroke

A stroke occurs when the blood flow to the brain stops, which leads to the death of nerve cells. A stroke is an emergency condition that requires early diagnosis and prompt treatment to prevent complications due to the death of nerve cells.

3. Parkinson''s disease

Parkinson''s disease is a disease that affects the basal nuclei of the brain, specifically the substantia nigra, which leads to a lack of dopamine in the brain, which leads to the emergence of various symptoms of the disease such as: tremor in the hands, slow movement, lack of facial expressions, and muscle spasms. .

4. Alcoholism

Alcohol is one of the toxic substances that may harm the brain, especially the thalamus and mammillary bodies, leading to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome due to thiamine deficiency in the body. This syndrome is characterized by the following:

Eye muscle disorder and nystagmus.

disturbance of consciousness

Staggering in walking (Ataxia).

memory loss.

personality disorder