Have you ever wondered how the brain is formed? Have you ever been curious about how we understand the information that comes from our environment? Why do some people have brain injuries? What has happened to him? These are questions that many people ask themselves according to different situations they go through throughout their lives. There are those who live their lives without major health complications, but there are people who have certain areas of the brain affected and, in this way, their daily activities are diminished.
Having knowledge about this topic can help us answer many questions that arise. Perhaps you have experienced a difficult time and this had an impact on you, or you have probably been in contact with someone who has these problems. Do you want to know more about this? In this Psychology-Online article we will provide you with information about the white matter of the brain, its definition, structure, functions and lesions.
What is the white matter of the brain
When we talk about the white matter of the brain, we refer to that sector of the central nervous system that is responsible for the transmission of information through neuronal connections that take place inside the human body. This information corresponds to the stimuli that the cerebral cortex receives from outside, which are decoded by neurons and translated into messages that travel throughout the nervous system.
Structure of the white matter of the brain
In order to understand even more about the white matter of the brain, it is important to know its structure. To begin with, we will say that the white matter of the brain has neurons that are covered with a white layer called myelin sheath. This substance’s main function is to accelerate the transmission of information between neurons through electrical signals. The presence of neurons within the white matter of the brain is crucial since they are responsible for receiving information from other sectors of the body and transmitting it to other neurons. In other words, without the existence of neurons it would not be possible for us to have the ability to carry out various cognitive and motor activities in our daily lives.
At the same time, These neurons have structures called glial cells inside. that provide valuable support. The role of glial cells in the composition of neurons is to maintain the structure of neurons so that they can have the possibility of sending electrical impulses to other neurons.
The white matter of the brain It is located mainly in the internal areas of the central nervous system as well as in certain areas of the spinal cord.
For more information on each of these parts, you can consult the following articles:
Functions of the white matter of the brain
Given the importance of the white matter of the brain, there are aspects that we can consider relevant when understanding its functioning.
- On the one hand, this substance has the primary function ensure the correct transmission of information through the connections established between the neurons that are part of the human body.
- As for other functions performed by the white matter of the brain, we will mention that it is also found related to the area of thinking, memory, learning new content, intelligence, among others. This is transcendental since without the action of neurons these sectors in people’s lives are affected.
- Its correct functioning has a clear impact on the development of activities that require concentration and attention.
Injuries to the white matter of the brain
When the speed of information processing is not correct due to slow connections between neurons, problems arise that translate into difficulties that a person may have in their daily life. For this reason, the presence of brain lesions is directly related to different neurological disorders. In other words, When there are complications in the white matter of the brain, characteristic symptoms appear. linked to damage to the cerebral cortex. Next, we will mention the most relevant ones that should be taken into account:
- Lack of motor coordination (Difficulty performing body movements)
- Short and long term memory loss
- Feeling of physical exhaustion
- Blurry vision
- Lack of muscle strength
- Difficulties in concentration and attention
The presence of any of these symptoms may be a indicator of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, dementia, multiple sclerosis, among others. Although these pathologies tend to be more common in people over 60 years of age who suffer from hypertension, this does not necessarily mean that we are dealing with an injury to the white matter of the brain.
It is essential that the diagnosis be carried out by a health professional since they will be in charge of evaluating the patient’s characteristics such as age, sex, pre-existing and current diseases, family history, among others. In this way, this will make it possible to indicate a treatment appropriate to the needs of each person.
In this article, you can see .
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Montalvo Arenas, CE (2011). Tissue and nervous system. National Autonomous University of Mexico. School of Medicine. Department of cell and tissue biology. Cell biology and medical histology.
- Sparto, P. (2010). White matter disease. American Physical Therapy Association, neurology section.