Brain's white matter may help soften cognitive impacts of gray matter loss: Study
A study published in Alzheimer's and Dementia suggests that the health of the brain's white matter may mitigate the cognitive effects of gray matter loss, particularly in older adults. Researchers found that healthier superficial white matter was linked to stronger language skills, indicating that cognitive health depends on both gray matter preservation and the condition of its connecting wiring.
Why it matters
This research offers new insights into brain aging and cognitive resilience, potentially informing strategies for maintaining cognitive health in older populations, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
Gray and white matter might both work together to support cognitive health among older adults in India and health of the brain's white matter wiring may help soften the cognitive effects of gray matter loss, a study has revealed.
"Gray matter and superficial white matter are physically close and may play different roles: gray matter processes information, while superficial white matter helps nearby brain regions communicate," first author Yingxu Liu, a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Southern California's school of medicine, said.
"Our findings suggest that cognitive health depends not only on how much gray matter is preserved, but also on the condition of the wiring that connects it," Liu said.
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