Ischemic white matter disease refers to small blood vessels in the brain that are clogging up a bit.
White matter is a component of the central nervous system, in the brain and superficial spinal cord, and consists mostly of glial cells and myelinated axons that transmit signals from one region of the cerebrum to another and between the cerebrum and lower brain centers. White matter, long thought to be passive tissue, actively affects how the brain learns and functions. While grey matter is primarily associated with processing and cognition, white matter modulates the distribution of action potentials, acting as a relay and coordinating communication between different brain regions. Moreover, white matter is classically considered less vulnerable than gray matter to the ischemic injury initiated by a large-artery occlusion. 6 However, ischemia may primarily involve white matter (“capsular infarcts”), sometimes in an isolated fashion. Abstract. Background and Purpose The effects of ischemia on the cerebral white matter structure seldom have been studied, possibly because white matter is generally considered less vulnerable to ischemia than gray matter. (May 2012). Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is a form of white-matter brain injury, characterized by the necrosis (more often coagulation) of white matter near the lateral ventricles. It can affect newborns and (less commonly) fetuses; premature infants are at the greatest risk of the disorder.  The white matter of the brain is located in the central and subcortical regions of the cerebral and cerebellar hemispheres and accounts for about 60 % of the total brain volume. The white matter includes the major commissural tracts, the cortical association fibers, and all the cortical afferent and efferent fibers. Lesions are found in the white matter of the brain stem, cerebrum, and cerebellum, and as a rule are asymmetric and few in number. There is no predilection for the periventricular white matter. The lesions are typically hyperintense on T2 and hypointense on T1-weighted images and without hemorrhage or calcification. Should white matter disease of the brain be treated: if the white matter disease of the brain represents ischemic white matter disease it may be prudent to address vascular risk factors such as better control of hypertension and diabetes, lowering the cholesterol and advising the patient to stop smoking. Dear Jennifer, white matter lesions can be seen on a brain MRI and can be due to a variety of disease processes. As I stated in my posts just what do these white matter lesions signify can only be determined accurately by correlating the MRI findings to the patient’s history and examination findings. As you all may be aware of in very simple terms the brain is made of grey matter (comprising the cell bodies of the neurons) and white matter (fiber tracts). Think of white matter disease as changes seen in the white matter of different parts (lobes) of the brain visualized on a MRI scan of the brain. Dear Jennifer, white matter lesions can be seen on a brain MRI and can be due to a variety of disease processes. As I stated in my posts just what do these white matter lesions signify can only be determined accurately by correlating the MRI findings to the patient’s history and examination findings. Less blood flow means that the brain tissue can be irreversibly injured, which is referred to as ischemic injury.. Some MRI reports may state that perivascular chronic ischemic white matter disease of aging is seen. We do know that we see increasing amount of these changes with age and see greater amounts of change in patients who have high blood pressure and diabetes. White matter change is a very common finding on an MRI scan. Frequently, these changes are seen in patients who have/have had hypertension, stroke, migraine headaches, or other medical conditions. As the brain ages, we tend to see a change in appearance around the fluid filled spaces (the ventricles). I frequently get asked about white matter disease of the brain. It is commonly reported when MRI scans are carried out causing concern to patients and family alike. So in this blog post that is the topic we shall discuss. Dear Jennifer, white matter lesions can be seen on a brain MRI and can be due to a variety of disease processes. As I stated in my posts just what do these white matter lesions signify can only be determined accurately by correlating the MRI findings to the patient’s history and examination findings. White matter disease is a progressive disorder caused by age-related decline in the part of the nerves (the white matter) that connect different areas of brain to each other and to the spinal cord. This disorder can result in imbalance and lead to problems with mobility in older age.  Answer: Ischemic white matter disease refers to small blood vessels in the brain that are clogging up a bit. This is usually not a serious condition unless the amount of small vessel disease gets to a moderate or severe degree. It is often caused by high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or smoking. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_matter http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/27/9/1641.full https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periventricular_leukomalacia http://spinwarp.ucsd.edu/NeuroWeb/Text/br-840.htm https://braindiseases.wordpress.com/2012/09/04/white-matter-disease-of-the-brain-what-do-we-know-about-it-should-i-worry/ https://braindiseases.wordpress.com/2012/09/04/white-matter-disease-of-the-brain-what-do-we-know-about-it-should-i-worry/ http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/brainattack/svidmri.cfm https://braindiseases.wordpress.com/2012/09/04/white-matter-disease-of-the-brain-what-do-we-know-about-it-should-i-worry/ http://www.neuropt.org/docs/vsig-english-pt-fact-sheets/white-matter-disease.pdf?sfvrsn=2 http://netwellness.org/question.cfm/58136.htm
what is white ischemic matter in brain