Myelin is the fatty, waxy covering that protects the nerves. It also helps nerves to do their job efficiently. It helps nerve impulses or signals from the brain move smoothly throughout the body's nervous system.
When babies are born only a few parts of their brain are fully myelinated. One part, the motor cortex is the part that controls sucking. The process continues as the baby's vision, hearing, language, and physical abilities develop.
From birth to 25?
Believe it or not, your brain continues this process all the way into your mid-twenties. From the age of ten to the twenties, there is a great amount of fine tuning going on in your brain. During this time of your life, your brain actually "prunes" itself.
Connections that are used get stronger. Any connections that are not used are pruned or eliminated. You end up with a very efficient brain, that works effectively based on your environment and your experiences.
Produced by...
The nerve covering is produced by two different types of cells. In the peripheral nervous system, it is produced by Schwann cells. In the central nervous system, (CNS) it is produced by oligodendrocytes. Each oligodendrocyte can produce this protective covering for several axons at a time.
Have you ever heard the term "white matter" of the brain? This refers to the myelinated axons. The white matter is made up of about 80% lipids or fats and 20% proteins. The layer of proteins is between two layers of lipids.
The myelin sheath wraps around the axon. The axons are the threadlike extensions that make up the nerve fiber.
When damage occurs
When the sheath becomes damaged, the signals will either be slowed down or stopped altogether. In the case of multiple sclerosis, the damage causes inflammation or scars along the sheath. The scars show up as spots on an MRI. The effects of the damage are the symptoms you have with MS.
If you've ever had an appliance where the electrical cord has worn out, then you know how the nervous system works. The thick covering around the electrical wires inside, helps keep the signal moving smoothly along.
If the cord becomes worn in different places the current is interrupted or shorts out. The cord needs to be repaired or replaced in order for your lamp or appliance to work correctly.
What's the answer?
The Myelin Project is a site that is searching for a way to cure diseases like MS. Their theory is that since demyelination causes the damage, regrowing or remyelination of the nerves will fix the problem.
Makes sense to me. What about you? The founders of the project are working hard to put themselves out of business. Here's a video about them.
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