OLIGODENDROCYTES: More Smart Cells in the Brains Pecking Order The common wisdom that myelin is just an insulator to make faster neuronal communication has been overthrown by recent research that finds much more complexity in how myelin is used by the brain. The old “neuron doctrine” (one of many useless dogmas) was that each neuron sends a signal to the next neuron, and so on, in computer like fashion. In fact, the process is vastly more complex and variable and the new myelin code adds to brain complexity in very important ways. - Research reported last week shows that myelin patterns are different in each brain region, especially each of the six layers of the cortex—myelin appears to have its own very complex code. Un-myelinated axons are crucial for newly discovered types of communication between the naked axons and adjacent local immune and nervous system cells. Both myelin, interspersed patterns of myelin, and lack of myelin are essential for specific types of information transfer. For more info and discussion on this see jonlieffmd/blog/new-myelin-code-adds-to-brain-complexity?utm_content=buffer944cf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=buffer Previous posts have described the intelligent behavior of microglia andastrocytes in creating, maintaining and pruning synapses. Now it appears oligodendrocytes, also, make many decisions concerning the types of signals. Until now, myelin has been considered to be just insulation for more rapid electrical current. But, in fact, axons are quite different from electrical wires. The new study shows that myelin affects the way information is created and communicated. The study last week looked at myelin along axons in the six layers of the cortex. It found that in layers II and III, there are different patterns of very long intermittent stretches without any myelin. Also, the critical initial segment that determines the type and strength of the signal was different in each region. In fact, many different regions of the brain have different amounts and distribution of myelin. The myelin in each region is so different from each other, and so different than what was previously assumed, it appears to be yet another brain code.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 19:40:50 +0000
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