Gray matter

Gray matter is nervous tissue rich in neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, synapses, and supporting cells. It forms much of the brain’s information-processing regions and parts of the spinal cord.

Neuron: A specialized cell that receives, processes, and transmits information through electrical and chemical signals. Neuronal cell bodies and their extensions make up much of gray matter.
Neural circuit: A connected group of neurons whose interactions perform a particular function. Gray matter contains circuits that combine and transform signals.
White matter: Nervous tissue dominated by myelinated axons that connect neurons across regions. Gray matter is richer in cell bodies and synapses, while white matter is richer in long-range axons.
Voxel-based morphometry: An MRI analysis method that compares local brain tissue volumes across locations and participants. It is commonly used to test whether gray-matter measures differ between groups.
Dendrite: A branched neuron projection that receives signals from other cells and carries them toward the cell body. Dendrites provide much of the receptive surface in gray matter.
Cortical column: A vertically organized group of neurons in the cerebral cortex with related input and output patterns. Columns are one proposed local organization of neurons within cortical gray matter.
Myelin: A lipid-rich insulating sheath around many axons that increases the speed of electrical signaling. Myelin is abundant in white matter but comparatively sparse in gray matter.
Hippocampus: A paired medial temporal brain structure central to forming episodic memories and spatial representations. Its gray matter is studied in memory, aging, and neurological disease.
Synapse: A junction where a neuron communicates with another cell through chemical or electrical signaling. Dense synaptic connections give gray matter its role in local information processing.
Cerebral cortex: The outer layer of the cerebrum, consisting of gray matter organized into folded regions. Its layered gray matter supports perception, movement, language, and other functions.

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