white matter

noun

Anatomy.

1. nerve tissue, especially of the brain and spinal cord, which primarily contains myelinated fibers and is nearly white in color.

white matter

noun

1. Technical name: substantia alba. the whitish tissue of the brain and spinal cord, consisting mainly of myelinated nerve fibres Compare grey matter

white matter

1. The whitish tissue of the vertebrate brain and spinal cord, made up chiefly of nerve fibers (axons) covered in myelin sheaths.

2. Compare gray matter

Word History and Origins

Origin of white matter¹

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

A new preclinical study from investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine reports that hypertension disrupts blood vessels, neurons and white matter in the brain long before blood pressure rises to detectable levels.

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The brain-related markers included a thinner cerebral cortex, white matter changes linked to vascular disease, and reduced or uneven blood flow.

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These signs, known as white matter hyperintensities, are small bright spots that appear on brain scans and are thought to reflect areas of tissue damage.

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Other research has found that white matter hyperintensities -- bright spots visible on MRI scans that often indicate tissue damage -- are more common during menopause, particularly in women who experience early menopause or frequent hot flashes.

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Their results revealed that older adults exhibit stronger microvascular pulsations in deep white matter compared to younger individuals, and that hypertension further intensifies these effects.

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