Abstract :
Myelin plays an essential but largely underappreciated role in human brain structure and function. The central challenge raised by the six commentaries is whether the developmental model of age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) (Bartzokis, 2003, this issue) is applicable to a wider range of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. The model’s premise that the trajectory of myelin development and breakdown is essential to our very uniqueness as a species, directly addresses this issue. In its widest perspective, the model primarily delineates a myelin hypothesis of human brain evolution and normal development and is “secondarily” useful in conceptualizing a wide range of age-related neuropsychiatric diseases. The unique vulnerabilities of oligodendrocytes and the highly protracted and extensive developmental process of human brain myelination delineated in the model are directly pertinent to many uniquely human brain functions and neuropsychiatric diseases including late-life neurodegenerative disorders.
Keywords :
Myelin , FTD , Tauopathy , white matter , ADHD , Synucleinopathy , Alzheimer , Learning disability , Oligodendrocytes , autism , Proteinopathy , Parkinson , Schizophrenia , amyloid , Impulse control , Alphasynuclein , Oscillations , Degeneration , Addiction , cholesterol , memory , free radicals , Medication , Tau , language , Gender , Butyrylcholinesterase , Brain development , head trauma , Evolution , Iron , Processing speed , dementia , frontotemporal , Behavior , aging , Lewy body , brain
