TY - JOUR
T1 - Motor skill learning requires active central myelination
AU - McKenzie, Ian A.
AU - Ohayon, David
AU - Li, Huiliang
AU - De Faria, Joana Paes
AU - Emery, Ben
AU - Tohyama, Koujiro
AU - Richardson, William D.
PY - 2014/10/17
Y1 - 2014/10/17
N2 - Myelin-forming oligodendrocytes (OLs) are formed continuously in the healthy adult brain. In this work, we study the function of these late-forming cells and the myelin they produce. Learning a new motor skill (such as juggling) alters the structure of the brain's white matter, which contains many OLs, suggesting that late-born OLs might contribute to motor learning. Consistent with this idea, we show that production of newly formed OLs is briefly accelerated in mice that learn a new skill (running on a "complex wheel" with irregularly spaced rungs). By genetically manipulating the transcription factor myelin regulatory factor in OL precursors, we blocked production of new OLs during adulthood without affecting preexisting OLs or myelin. This prevented the mice from mastering the complex wheel. Thus, generation of new OLs and myelin is important for learning motor skills.
AB - Myelin-forming oligodendrocytes (OLs) are formed continuously in the healthy adult brain. In this work, we study the function of these late-forming cells and the myelin they produce. Learning a new motor skill (such as juggling) alters the structure of the brain's white matter, which contains many OLs, suggesting that late-born OLs might contribute to motor learning. Consistent with this idea, we show that production of newly formed OLs is briefly accelerated in mice that learn a new skill (running on a "complex wheel" with irregularly spaced rungs). By genetically manipulating the transcription factor myelin regulatory factor in OL precursors, we blocked production of new OLs during adulthood without affecting preexisting OLs or myelin. This prevented the mice from mastering the complex wheel. Thus, generation of new OLs and myelin is important for learning motor skills.
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U2 - 10.1126/science.1254960
DO - 10.1126/science.1254960
M3 - Article
C2 - 25324381
AN - SCOPUS:84908108875
SN - 0036-8075
VL - 346
SP - 318
EP - 322
JO - Science
JF - Science
IS - 6207
ER -