PSYCH 2NF3 Lecture 1: Intracortical MR Signals and Pathology (Guest Lecture)
22 Feb 2018
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Document Summary
White matter (wm) - more white because of higher fat content - can be seen as highway where info travels. Grey matter (gm) - outside of the brain, also known as cerebral cortex - seen as individual areas where processing is actually occurring. Both mainly defined by how they appear in images. Oligodendrocytes - 75% of all glial cells, many roles, primary. Astrocytes - provide energy to neurons in order for them to do work, along with many other roles. Microglia - because of blood-brain barrier, there is no white blood cells in the brain thus microglia shape immune response in brain. Another reason for why wm is so white. Provides trophic/metabolic support to neurons - allows signal to travel along axons fast + efficiently. Can act like a "guard rail", preventing synapse formation. The brain is always changing due to adaptation or disease. In neurons you can have axon sprouting, changes in end terminal/dendrites, increase/decrease in neuron numbers.
