Regulation of Central Nervous System Myelination in Higher Brain Functions

The hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex are interconnected brain regions, playing central roles in higher brain functions, including learning and memory, planning complex cognitive behavior, and moderating social behavior. The axons in these regions continue to be myelinated into adulthood in huma...

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Main Authors: Mara Nickel, Chen Gu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-01-01
Series:Neural Plasticity
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/6436453
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author Mara Nickel
Chen Gu
author_facet Mara Nickel
Chen Gu
author_sort Mara Nickel
collection DOAJ
description The hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex are interconnected brain regions, playing central roles in higher brain functions, including learning and memory, planning complex cognitive behavior, and moderating social behavior. The axons in these regions continue to be myelinated into adulthood in humans, which coincides with maturation of personality and decision-making. Myelin consists of dense layers of lipid membranes wrapping around the axons to provide electrical insulation and trophic support and can profoundly affect neural circuit computation. Recent studies have revealed that long-lasting changes of myelination can be induced in these brain regions by experience, such as social isolation, stress, and alcohol abuse, as well as by neurological and psychiatric abnormalities. However, the mechanism and function of these changes remain poorly understood. Myelin regulation represents a new form of neural plasticity. Some progress has been made to provide new mechanistic insights into activity-independent and activity-dependent regulations of myelination in different experimental systems. More extensive investigations are needed in this important but underexplored research field, in order to shed light on how higher brain functions and myelination interplay in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.
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spelling doaj-art-280673fff9ad46d9bc84892c31fac3a42025-08-20T03:54:42ZengWileyNeural Plasticity2090-59041687-54432018-01-01201810.1155/2018/64364536436453Regulation of Central Nervous System Myelination in Higher Brain FunctionsMara Nickel0Chen Gu1Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USADepartment of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USAThe hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex are interconnected brain regions, playing central roles in higher brain functions, including learning and memory, planning complex cognitive behavior, and moderating social behavior. The axons in these regions continue to be myelinated into adulthood in humans, which coincides with maturation of personality and decision-making. Myelin consists of dense layers of lipid membranes wrapping around the axons to provide electrical insulation and trophic support and can profoundly affect neural circuit computation. Recent studies have revealed that long-lasting changes of myelination can be induced in these brain regions by experience, such as social isolation, stress, and alcohol abuse, as well as by neurological and psychiatric abnormalities. However, the mechanism and function of these changes remain poorly understood. Myelin regulation represents a new form of neural plasticity. Some progress has been made to provide new mechanistic insights into activity-independent and activity-dependent regulations of myelination in different experimental systems. More extensive investigations are needed in this important but underexplored research field, in order to shed light on how higher brain functions and myelination interplay in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/6436453
spellingShingle Mara Nickel
Chen Gu
Regulation of Central Nervous System Myelination in Higher Brain Functions
Neural Plasticity
title Regulation of Central Nervous System Myelination in Higher Brain Functions
title_full Regulation of Central Nervous System Myelination in Higher Brain Functions
title_fullStr Regulation of Central Nervous System Myelination in Higher Brain Functions
title_full_unstemmed Regulation of Central Nervous System Myelination in Higher Brain Functions
title_short Regulation of Central Nervous System Myelination in Higher Brain Functions
title_sort regulation of central nervous system myelination in higher brain functions
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/6436453
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