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Motor Learning Promotes Remyelination via New and Surviving Oligodendrocytes.

Clara M Bacmeister, Helena J Barr, Crystal R McClain, Michael A Thornton, Dailey Nettles, Cristin G Welle, Ethan G Hughes

Oligodendrocyte loss in neurological disease leaves axons vulnerable to damage and degeneration, and activity-dependent myelination may represent an endogenous mechanism to improve remyelination following injury. Here we report that, while learning a forelimb reach task transiently suppresses oligodendrogenesis, it subsequently increases oligodendrocyte precursor cell differentiation, oligodendrocyte generation and myelin sheath remodeling in the forelimb motor cortex. Immediately following demyelination, neurons exhibit hyperexcitability, learning is impaired and behavioral intervention provides no benefit to remyelination. However, partial remyelination restores neuronal and behavioral function, allowing learning to enhance oligodendrogenesis, remyelination of denuded axons and the ability of surviving oligodendrocytes to generate new myelin sheaths. Previously considered controversial, we show …

Publication Date:

2020/7

Journal:

Nature neuroscience

Volume:

23

Issue:

7

BIOElectrics Lab

Led by Cristin Welle, PhD

Department of Neurosurgery

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Room RC1N 7118
Aurora, CO 80045

office: (303) 724-9116

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