What does it mean when you have white matter on the brain?
White matter disease is the wearing away of tissue in the largest and deepest part of your brain that has a number of causes, including aging. This tissue contains millions of nerve fibers, or axons, that connect other parts of the brain and spinal cord and signal your nerves to talk to one another.
Is white matter disease serious?
This loss may be the result of an injury, infection, or underlying health condition. Mild cases of brain atrophy may have little effect on daily functioning. However, brain atrophy can sometimes lead to symptoms such as seizures, aphasia, and dementia. Severe damage can be life threatening.
Can you live a normal life with white matter disease?
The life expectancy after a diagnosis of white matter disease depends on the speed it progresses and the severity of any other conditions it may cause, like stroke and dementia. White matter disease is believed to be a factor in both strokes and dementia.
What areas of the brain are white matter?
White matter of the brain. White matter is found in the deeper tissues of the brain (subcortical). It contains nerve fibers (axons), which are extensions of nerve cells (neurons). Many of these nerve fibers are surrounded by a type of sheath or covering called myelin. Myelin gives the white matter its color.
Is there a large amount of white matter in the brain?
White matter brain disease results in the degeneration of white matter, which creates a large portion of the brain. The primary form of white matter brain disease is multiple sclerosis , which results in the destruction of the myelin sheath.
What can cause extra white matter in the brain?
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.
How do white matter diseases effect the brain?
White matter disease is the wearing away of tissue in the largest and deepest part of your brain that has a number of causes, including aging. This tissue contains millions of nerve fibers, or axons, that connect other parts of the brain and spinal cord and signal your nerves to talk to one another.