|
|
 |
Welcome to the website of the
Southwest Virginia MS Support Group
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grey Matter
The Grey Matter regions of the central
nervous system (CNS), the brain and spinal cord, contrast with the
white matter
regions. The grey matter is the areas where the actual "processing" is done
whereas the white matter provides the communication between different grey
matter areas and between the grey matter and the rest of the body.
The vast majority of multiple sclerosis lesions occur in the
white matter areas but a small number, about 5%, do occur within the grey
matter.
The grey matter is so-called because in section it has a grey colour due to
all the grey nuclei in the cells that make it up. In fact, in the living body,
grey matter is pink.
The neurons in the
grey matter consist of neuronal cell bodies and their
dendrites, the short
protrusions that communicate with immediately neighboring neurons in the CNS. In
contrast with the neurons of the white matter, grey matter neurons do not
contain long axons that
transmit the nerve impulses to more distant regions of the CNS.
About 40% of the human brain is made up of gray matter whereas 60% is white
matter. However the gray matter consumes about 94% of the total oxygen used by
the brain.
Grey Matter Links:
|
|
The Cell Structure of the Brain
SOURCE:
www.neurosurgerytoday.org
The brain is made up of two types of cells:
neurons and glial cells,
also known as neuroglia or glia. The neuron is responsible for sending and
receiving nerve impulses or signals. Glial cells are non-neuronal cells
that provide support and nutrition, maintain homeostasis, form myelin, and
facilitate signal transmission in the nervous system. In the human brain,
glial cells outnumber neurons by about 50 to one. Glial cells are the most
common cells found in primary brain tumors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
