Introduction: After being largely neglected as a contributor to the organisation of the cognitive operations for many years, the white matter of the brain is now again the object of much research. These advances are complemented with the latest neuroimaging techniques, such as diffusion tensor imaging, which make it possible to obtain a more detailed view of the role played by the pathways of the white matter in the cognitive operations.
Development: The study reviews the relation between lesions in the white matter and different cognitive processes and functions such as language, attention, visuospatial and visual-constructional skills, spatial negligence, processing speed, memory and executive functions.