Evaluating Strokes Through Comparative Effects on White and Gray Matter

Gray matter, a term used in conjunction with discussions of the brain, is familiar to most people. White matter much less so. But both gray and white matter are essential elements of brain tissue. Brain Atlas is instructive. Some good images are available at this site. Information about the brains of multiple species can be found.

Differences between Gray Matter and White Matter Water Diffusion in Stroke: Diffusion-Tensor MR Imaging in 12 Patients, from the journal Radiology, discusses results of an investigation "to determine if differences in water diffusion exist between white matter and gray matter in acute to early subacute human stroke." The authors of the paper are Pratik Mukherjee, MD, PhD, Mark M. Bahn, MD, PhD, Robert C. McKinstry, MD, PhD, Joshua S. Shimony, MD, PhD, Thomas S. Cull, PhD, Erbil Akbudak, PhD, Abraham Z. Snyder, MD, PhD and Thomas E. Conturo, MD, PhD. The researchers concluded that greater reduction in isotropic diffusion occurs in white matter as compared to gray matter in acute to early subacute middle cerebral arterial stroke.