Researchers identified a small molecule that rejuvenated older cells responsible for generating new myelin, which reversed age-related myelin loss.
This compound may have therapeutic potential for restoring myelin in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).
The study, “Functional genomic analyses highlight a shift in Gpr17‐regulated cellular processes in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and underlying myelin dysregulation in the aged mouse cerebrum,” was published in the journal Aging Cell.
The myelin sheath, a fatty coat surrounding nerve fibers (axons), allows electrical impulses to transmit quickly and efficiently between nerve cells. Axons wrapped in myelin give the white matter in the brain its lighter appearance.
“Everyone is familiar with the brain’s grey matter, but very few know about the white matter, which comprises of the insulated electrical wires that connect all the different parts of our brains,” Arthur Butt, PhD, a professor at the University of Portsmouth, in the U.K., and the study’s lead author, said in a press release.
In the brain, myelin is generated by cells called oligodendrocytes, which are regularly replaced by precursor cells known as oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs).
Increasing evidence suggests a loss of myelin is an essential factor contributing to age-related cognitive decline. Although the underlying mechanism of myelin loss in aging remains unresolved, studies suggest the decline in OPC regeneration is a primary factor.
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