Oligodendrocyte–neuron interactions: impact on myelination and brain function

Takeshi Shimizu, Yasuyuki Osanai, Kazuhiro Ikenaka

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleOtherpeer-review

17 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In the past, glial cells were considered to be ‘glue’ cells whose primary role was thought to be merely filling gaps in neural circuits. However, a growing number of reports have indicated the role of glial cells in higher brain function through their interaction with neurons. Myelin was originally thought to be just a sheath structure surrounding neuronal axons, but recently it has been shown that myelin exerts effects on the conduction velocity of neuronal axons even after myelin formation. Therefore, the investigation of glial cell properties and the neuron-glial interactions is important for understanding higher brain function. Moreover, since there are many neurological disorders caused by glial abnormalities, further understanding of glial cell-related diseases and the development of effective therapeutic strategies are warranted. In this review, we focused on oligodendrocyte-neuron interactions, with particular attention on (1) axonal signals underlying oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination, (2) neuronal activity-dependent myelination and (3) the effects of myelination on higher brain function.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)181-185
Number of pages5
JournalNeurochemical Research
Volume43
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2018
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Activity-dependency
  • Motor skill learning
  • Myelination
  • Neuronal electrical activity
  • Oligodendrocyte

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