white matter
Americannoun
noun
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The whitish tissue of the vertebrate brain and spinal cord, made up chiefly of nerve fibers (axons) covered in myelin sheaths.
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Compare gray matter
Etymology
Origin of white matter
First recorded in 1830–40
Compare meaning
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A recent major study assessed efficiency of brain networks, essentially how the brain is wired, through white matter topology.
From Science Daily
Surrounding that is white matter, made up of astrocytes and long nerve fibers that carry signals between the brain and the rest of the body.
From Science Daily
Importantly, the increased risk was not explained by overall brain shrinkage or damage to white matter.
From Science Daily
The research team is now exploring whether mitochondrial damage extends beyond Purkinje cells to other cerebellar cell types, including oligodendrocytes, which help form white matter, and astrocytes, which support overall brain function.
From Science Daily
The research focuses on how networks of white matter connections allow different brain regions to communicate, supporting thinking, decision making, and behavior.
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
