Topic: myelinated axons

The corpus callosum (CC) is a wide and thick nerve tract in the brain. It is the largest white matter structure in the human brain, measuring approximately 250mm in length, and consisting of 200-300 million myelinated axons. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the world's population is getting older. Aging is one of the main risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases. Brain aging involves mitochondrial dysfunction, dysregulated energy metabolism, altered neuronal activity, and inflammation. Changes in white matter metabolism during aging are poorly understood. In this study, we

Axon diameter varies up to 100-fold between distinct neurons in the central nervous system with larger axons exhibiting faster nerve conduction velocity. Further axon diameter influences myelination and its dynamic regulation might help fine-tune the timing of signal propagation and thus neural circuit function. Despite its importance, we know surprisingly little about how axons grow to such different diameters in the living nervous system and which mechanisms underlie this diversity. To fully understand how nervous systems are built, functionally mature, and remain healthy, we need to underst

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disorder caused by mutations in TSC1/2 genes, leading to mTOR pathway dysregulation and diverse cellular impacts. Individuals with TSC face severely heightened risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), highlighting a genetic link between the two conditions. To model ASD etiology in the context of TSC, we developed a new mouse model with Tsc2 knockout induced mid-gestation in all postmitotic, GABAergic neurons. As ASD and TSC both involve somatosensory processing challenges, we utilized our mouse model to assess how the mutation affects the cortical a