"We detected and mapped a dynamically spreading wave of gray matter loss in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease... Recently, we used dynamic brain mapping to uncover the trajectory of cortical change as schizophrenia develops in the teenage brain and as normal adolescents lose gray matter."
The Journal of Neuroscience conducted a longitudinal study regarding the dynamics of gray matter loss in Alzheimer's patients and those suffering mental illness. Using brain imaging techniques, cortical atrophy was found to be associated with the progression of loss of gray matter in patients. By understanding how gray matter is associated with these diseases, preventative measures could be administered to combat cognitive decline and gray matter loss.