Post by the Scribe on May 30, 2023 9:18:45 GMT
BRAIN & NERVOUS SYSTEM ALZHEIMER'S
White Matter in the Brain
www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-white-matter-in-the-brain-98119
By Esther Heerema, MSW Updated on May 21, 2023
Medically reviewed by Brian M. Snelling, MD
Table of Contents
What Is White Matter?
Alzheimer's and White Matter
White Matter Disease
Increasing White Matter
White matter provides connections between the different parts of the brain. The brain is made up of a mixture of grey matter and white matter. White matter is found in the deeper tissues known as the subcortical area.1
If you think of the brain as a computer system, the gray matter is the hardware, and the white matter is the cables connecting the network and transmitting signals.
www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-gray-matter-in-the-brain-98814
This article discusses white matter in the brain and the conditions that impact it. It also explains the role of white matter disease on memory and dementia.
How Your Brain Works
www.verywellhealth.com/brain-anatomy-4780506
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/163319037-569ff4175f9b58eba4ae1e05.jpg)
Doctor studying brain scans
Geri Lavrov Moment/Getty Images
What Is White Matter?
White matter in the brain contains nerve fibers (axons), which are surrounded by a protective fatty covering called the myelin sheath. The myelin is what gives white matter its white color.
White matter axons connect nerve cells (neurons). Myelin speeds up the signals between the cells, enabling the brain cells to quickly send and receive messages. It also provides insulation for the fibers, preventing the brain from short-circuiting.1
Alzheimer's and White Matter
Some research using imaging studies has found abnormalities in people's white matter prior to the development of Alzheimer's disease symptoms.2
Research has also demonstrated the presence of white matter lesions prior to mild cognitive impairment, a condition that carries an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease.3
Alzheimer’s Disease
www.verywellhealth.com/alzheimers-4581763
White Matter Disease
White matter hyperintensities, or white matter disease, is a term used to describe spots in the brain that show up on magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs) as bright white areas.4 These areas may indicate some type of injury to the brain, perhaps due to decreased blood flow in that area.
www.verywellhealth.com/white-matter-disease-7375045
www.verywellhealth.com/can-an-mri-detect-alzheimers-disease-98632
The presence of white matter hyperintensities has been correlated with a higher risk of stroke, which can lead to vascular dementia.5
www.verywellhealth.com/what-are-these-spots-on-my-mri-2488902
www.verywellhealth.com/the-differences-between-alzheimers-vascular-dementia-98750
Initially, white matter disease was thought to simply be related to aging. However, we now know there are other specific risk factors for white matter disease, which include:6
High blood pressure
Smoking
Cardiovascular disease
High cholesterol
While white matter disease has been associated with strokes, cognitive loss, and dementia, it also has some physical and emotional symptoms such as balance problems, falls, depression, and difficulty multitasking (e.g., walking and talking).
Understanding Migraine-Related Brain Lesions on Your MRI
www.verywellhealth.com/brain-lesions-on-mri-in-migraines-4044746
Increasing and Improving White Matter
Some research has found that physical exercise, aerobic activities and weight resistance training in particular, was correlated with improved white matter integrity in the brains of those who participated in those studies.7
Exercise has also been connected to a decreased risk of dementia as well as a slower cognitive decline in people who have already been diagnosed with Alzheimer's or another kind of dementia.8
Several studies have supported following the Mediterranean Diet, with its focus on healthy fats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and fatty fish, as a way to improve white matter.910
www.verywellhealth.com/mediterranean-diet-gold-standard-5220292
Other research found that when adults learned new skills, the amount of white matter in their brains increased. This was true for learning to read as an adult and learning to juggle. Additionally, white matter increased relative to the number of hours that professional musicians practiced their instruments.11
White matter functioning was also improved by the practice of meditation, and the difference was observed in as little as two to four weeks.12
Meditation for People With Cancer
www.verywellhealth.com/meditation-for-people-with-cancer-2248959
Summary
Historically, science hasn't paid as much attention to our brain's white matter as its gray matter.
We now know, however, how important white matter is to our overall brain health and cognitive ability, as well as how declines in white matter are correlated with impairments in brain functioning.
Research shows exercise, mental activity, and meditation can improve the health of your body and brain.
Types of White Matter Cells and What They Do
www.verywellhealth.com/what-are-glial-cells-and-what-do-they-do-4159734
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus. White matter of the brain.
Nasrabady SE, Rizvi B, Goldman JE, Brickman AM. White matter changes in Alzheimer's disease: a focus on myelin and oligodendrocytes. Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2018;6(1):22. doi:10.1186/s40478-018-0515-3
Lam S, Lipton RB, Harvey DJ, Zammit AR, Ezzati A; Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. White matter hyperintensities and cognition across different Alzheimer's biomarker profiles. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2021 Jul;69(7):1906-1915. doi:10.1111/jgs.17173
University of California Davis Health System, Department of Neurology. White Matter Matters.
Dadar M, Mahmoud S, Zhernovaia M, Camicioli R, Maranzano J, Duchesne S; CCNA Group. White matter hyperintensity distribution differences in aging and neurodegenerative disease cohorts. Neuroimage Clin. 2022;36:103204. doi:10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103204
Sharma R, Sekhon S, Cascella M. White Matter Lesions. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022.
Voss MW, Heo S, Prakash RS, et al. The influence of aerobic fitness on cerebral white matter integrity and cognitive function in older adults: results of a one-year exercise intervention. Hum Brain Mapp. 2013;34(11):2972–2985. doi:10.1002/hbm.22119
Svatkova A, Mandl RC, Scheewe TW, Cahn W, Kahn RS, Hulshoff Pol HE. Physical Exercise Keeps the Brain Connected: Biking Increases White Matter Integrity in Patients With Schizophrenia and Healthy Controls. Schizophr Bull. 2015;41(4):869–878. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbv033
Gu Y, Vorburger RS, Gazes Y, et al. White matter integrity as a mediator in the relationship between dietary nutrients and cognition in the elderly. Ann Neurol. 2016 Jun;79(6):1014-25. doi: 10.1002/ana.24674
Song S, Gaynor AM, Cruz E, et al. Mediterranean diet and white matter hyperintensity change over time in cognitively intact adults. Nutrients. 2022 Sep 5;14(17):3664. doi:10.3390/nu14173664
Posner MI, Tang Y-Y, Lynch G. Mechanisms of White Matter Change Induced By Meditation Training. Frontiers in Psychology. 2014;5:1220. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01220.
Posner MI, Tang YY, Lynch G. Mechanisms of white matter change induced by meditation training. Front Psychol. 2014 Oct 27;5:1220. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01220
Additional Reading
VU University Amsterdam. Center for Children with White Matter Disorders.
By Esther Heerema, MSW
www.verywellhealth.com/esther-heerema-msw-97406
Esther Heerema, MSW, shares practical tips gained from working with hundreds of people whose lives are touched by Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of dementia.
