Syllabus Section:  Science and Technology (GS Paper III)

Importance: UPSC Prelims and UPSC Mains

Why in News?

A research supported under the SATYAM program by Department of Science & Technology has found that daily home-based meditation can increase the amount of grey matter in brains of patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease.

About:

• Grey matter refers to unmyelinated neurons and other cells of the Central Nervous System.
• It is present in the brain, brainstem and cerebellum, and present throughout the spinal cord.
• It is referred to as the grey matter due to its greyish appearance. The neuron cell bodies are concentrated here giving the colour.
• Functions - Grey matter in the brain is involved in muscle control, and sensory perception such as seeing and hearing, memory, emotions, speech, decision making, and self-control.
• Also, the grey matter in the spinal cord is involved in muscle movement (motor neurons), and receiving and sending sensory information from the body (sensory neurons).

• White matter consists of fibres of the tracts covered with the myelin sheath, which gives an opaque white appearance to the layer.

 

 

Source: PIB