Gray Substance (Noun)
Meaning
Greyish nervous tissue containing cell bodies as well as fibers; forms the cerebral cortex consisting of unmyelinated neurons.
Classification
Nouns denoting body parts.
Examples
- The gray substance of the spinal cord contains interneurons that integrate sensory information from the body.
- The cerebral cortex is largely composed of gray substance where the neuron cell bodies and synaptic connections are densely packed.
- In the brain, the gray substance consists of six distinct layers of neurons, called cortical layers.
- Damage to the gray substance of the cerebral cortex can result in a wide range of cognitive and motor deficits.
- The gray substance in the brain is richly supplied with blood vessels to meet the energy demands of the densely packed neurons.