What it means
The parts of the brain and spinal cord where nerve cell bodies sit, where most processing of information happens. It forms the outer layer of the brain (cerebral cortexsuh-REE-brul KOR-teksThe thin, folded outer layer of the cerebrum, where thinking, language, memory, voluntary movement and sensation are handled.Full entry ), groups of cells deep in the brain, and the butterfly-shaped center of the spinal cord. White matter, by contrast, is made of nerve fibers covered in myelin, which carry signals between areas.
At a glance
| Also written | grey matter |
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Related terms
neuron
A nerve cell: a cell that carries electrical and chemical signals through the nervous system.
cerebral cortex
The thin, folded outer layer of the cerebrum, where thinking, language, memory, voluntary movement and sensation are handled.