Topic: oligodendrocyte maturation

Developmental myelination is a protracted process in the mammalian brain. One theory for why oligodendrocytes mature so slowly posits that myelination may stabilize neuronal circuits and temper neuronal plasticity as animals age. We tested this theory in the visual cortex, which has a well-defined critical period for experience-dependent neuronal plasticity. During adolescence, visual experience modulated oligodendrocyte maturation in visual cortex. To determine whether oligodendrocyte maturation in turn regulates neuronal plasticity, we genetically blocked oligodendrocyte differentiation and

In western nations, the average age of spinal cord injury (SCI) has increased and is equally spread out between 20-65 years old. SCI typically causes focal demyelination of spared axons near the site of injury. Surprisingly, we did not find locomotor impairment after SCI when remyelination was inhibited in young mice (Duncan et al. 2018, Nat. Comm). However, the functional impact of remyelination after SCI at an advanced age is unknown. Here, we assessed the importance of remyelination for locomotor recovery, cognitive function, and anxiety in young (3-5 month) and aged (15-18 month) mice of b