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Myelin: A gatekeeper of activity-dependent circuit plasticity?

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Karadottir, Ragnhildur 
Bonetto, Giulia 

Abstract

The brain is responsive to an ever-changing environment, enabling the organism to learn and change behaviour accordingly. Efforts to understand the underpinnings of this plasticity have almost exclusively focussed on the functional and underlying structural changes that neurons undergo at neurochemical synapses. What has received comparatively little attention is the involvement of activity-dependent myelination in such plasticity and the functional output of circuits controlling behaviour. The traditionally held view of myelin as a passive insulator of axons is changing to one of lifelong changes in myelin, modulated by neuronal activity and experience. Here we review the nascent evidence of the functional role of myelin plasticity in strengthening circuit functions that underlie learning and behaviour

Description

Keywords

StemCellInstitute

Journal Title

Science

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0036-8075
1095-9203

Volume Title

Publisher

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Sponsorship
European Research Council (771411)
Paul G Allen Family Foundation (12076)
Medical Research Council (MR/N02530X/1)
Medical Research Council (MC_PC_17230)
European Research Council Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group UK Multiple Sclerosis Society Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine Medical Research Council