title: Unraveling the secrets of white matter--bridging the gap between cellular, animal and human imaging studies.
abstract: The CNS white matter makes up about half of the human brain, and with advances in human imaging it is increasingly becoming clear that changes in the white matter play a major role in shaping human behavior and learning. However, the mechanisms underlying these white matter changes remain poorly understood. Within this special issue of Neuroscience on white matter, recent advances in our knowledge of the function of white matter, from the molecular level to human imaging, are reviewed. Collaboration between fields is essential to understand the function of the white matter, but due to differences in methods and field-specific 'language', communication is often hindered. In this review, we try to address this hindrance by introducing the methods and providing a basic background to myelin biology and human imaging as a prelude to the other reviews within this special issue.
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, POB 1094 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Unit of Neuropsychology, Oslo University Hospital, 0424 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: k.b.walhovd@psykologi.uio.no.
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Walhovd
authors.affiliation: Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DU, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Johansen-Berg
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, and Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QR, United Kingdom. Electronic address: rk385@cam.ac.uk.
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Káradóttir
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000648:ultrastructure; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods*; D066127:White Matter / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*
keywords: DTI; anatomy; functional imaging; glial cell; myelin; white matter