White matter

Last revised by Daniel J Bell on 30 Aug 2023

The white matter (TA: substantia alba) is the substance of the brain and spinal cord that contains the fiber tracts of neuronal axons in the central nervous system. The term is due to the paler color of the lipid-rich myelin that encases the axons in the tracts compared to the grey matter, which contains predominantly the neuronal cell bodies.

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