Myelin News and Research

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Myelin is the fatty substance that covers and protects nerves.

Researchers identify enzyme linked to myelin damage and neurodegenerative conditions

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have identified a type of enzyme with a complicated name - cell migration inducing and hyaluronan-binding protein, or CEMIP - is associated with disorders ranging from multiple sclerosis to stroke to neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's disease.

11 Dec 2025

Missing piece of myelin results in slower, less consistent signal transmission to the brain

Our nerve cells are surrounded by a protective layer (myelin). This protective layer allows signals to pass between cells incredibly quickly.

11 Dec 2025

White matter alterations connect coronary artery disease to cognitive decline

Individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD) - a constricting or blocking of blood vessels feeding the heart - face increased risks of strokes, cognitive impairment and dementia. However, the link between CAD and cognitive function is not fully understood.

25 Nov 2025

Long-term calorie restriction can slow cellular markers of brain aging

As the brain ages, cells in the central nervous system experience metabolic dysfunction and increased oxidative damage.

25 Nov 2025

Changes in brain fats play a key role in Alzheimer's development and progression

More than a century ago, Alois Alzheimer noted unusual changes in brain fats, which he described as "lipoid granules," along with the buildup of amyloid-beta (amyloid) plaques and tau protein tangles.

20 Nov 2025

Preclinical study shows aged garlic extract improves memory and reduces anxiety

Long-term aged garlic extract supplementation improved specific anxiety-related behaviors and enhanced memory and learning in aging mice. Proteomic profiling revealed extensive hippocampal and cortical molecular changes linked to synaptic signaling, neuroplasticity, and stress-response pathways.

16 Nov 2025

Hypertension may induce early gene expression changes in brain cells

Hypertension impairs blood vessels, neurons and white matter in the brain well before the condition causes a measurable rise in blood pressure, according to a new preclinical study from Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

14 Nov 2025

First multiple sclerosis patient in the UK receives CAR T cell therapy in groundbreaking trial

A multiple sclerosis (MS) patient in the UK was the first to receive CAR T cell therapy, invented by UCL researchers, in a clinical trial testing whether this personalized treatment can slow or even halt the progression of the disease.

24 Oct 2025

Blood proteins reveal MS immune system attack starts years before symptoms

By the time patients start seeking care for multiple sclerosis (MS), the disease has already been damaging their brains for years. But until recently, scientists didn't understand which brain cells were being targeted or when the injury began.

21 Oct 2025

Prenatal air pollution exposure may slow newborn brain development

The study shows prenatal air pollution exposure correlates with slower brain myelination in infants, emphasizing the need for improved air quality policies.

20 Oct 2025

Post-COVID smell loss linked to brain changes in key olfactory regions

Findings indicate significant brain changes in COVID-19 patients with smell loss, suggesting links to emotional well-being and olfactory processing.

17 Oct 2025

Maternal exposure to PM2.5 during pregnancy linked to lower myelination in newborns' brains

A study published in Environment International concludes that air pollution during pregnancy is associated with slower brain maturation in newborns.

16 Oct 2025

Estradiol and estriol may protect nerve function in multiple sclerosis

About 100,000 of the estimated million people in the United States with multiple sclerosis (MS) have a progressive form of the disease, with symptoms that worsen continuously or after periods of remission.

14 Oct 2025

Obesity-linked fat vesicles accelerate amyloid aggregation in Alzheimer’s disease

Researchers discuss the role of extracellular vesicles as a potential link between obesity and Alzheimer’s disease.

9 Oct 2025

New drug candidates show promise for restoring myelin in MS

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting more than 2.9 million people worldwide.

8 Oct 2025

Scientists explore how dopamine shapes myelin in social isolation

Scientists know that social isolation can alter brain structure and lead to the breakdown of myelin, the fatty coating that insulates nerve fibers in the brain. But they don't yet know exactly how or why it happens.

25 Sep 2025

Consumption of ultra-processed foods may exacerbate disease activity in early multiple sclerosis

Higher intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) may exacerbate disease activity in early multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new research presented at the 41st Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS 2025).

24 Sep 2025

Lab-grown mini brains reveal neural misfires linked to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

Pea-sized brains grown in a lab have for the first time revealed the unique way neurons might misfire due to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, psychiatric ailments that affect millions of people worldwide but are difficult to diagnose because of the lack of understanding of their molecular basis.

22 Sep 2025

Researchers receive new funding to advance promising therapy for multiple sclerosis

A Canadian-led international research team, spearheaded by Dr. Fang Liu at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has received nearly $800,000 US ($1,137,868 CAD) in new funding to advance a promising therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS).

15 Sep 2025

Epigenomic erosion linked to cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s patients

Most people recognize Alzheimer's from its devastating symptoms such as memory loss, while new drugs target pathological aspects of disease manifestations, such as plaques of amyloid proteins.

2 Sep 2025