White matter

White matter is a major component of the central nervous system consisting primarily of myelinated axons that facilitate communication between different brain regions (StatPearls, 2022). It is distinguished from grey matter by its high lipid content, which forms the myelin sheath produced by oligodendrocytes to ensure rapid electrical signal transmission (NIH, 2023). Functionally, white matter serves as the structural connectivity network of the brain, supporting cognitive processes and motor coordination by linking cortical and subcortical structures (Filley & Fields, 2016). Pathological degradation of white matter is a hallmark of several neurological disorders, most notably multiple sclerosis, where autoimmune attacks lead to demyelination and axonal loss (PubMed, 2021). Other conditions involving white matter include leukodystrophies, which are genetic disorders affecting myelin metabolism, and vascular dementia resulting from small vessel disease (StatPearls, 2022). While white matter is a tissue type rather than a single molecular target, it is the focus of therapeutic interventions aimed at neuroprotection and remyelination. Drugs such as S1P receptor modulators are used to prevent inflammatory damage to white matter tracts in relapsing-remitting diseases (Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 2018).

Other names

Substantia albaWhite substanceMyelinated axonsCNS tracts

White matter is an anatomical tissue rather than a molecular target; drugs associated with white matter typically target specific receptors (e.g., S1P receptors) or immune cells to prevent demyelination or promote repair (StatPearls, 2022).