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AAIC 2018 | Myelin as a dynamic factor in ageing and dementia

Decline in brain myelin is associated with memory loss in ageing. As Ragnhildur Thora Karadottir, PhD, of the University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK explains in this interview, recorded at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2018, held in Chicago, IL, new research has shown that myelin is a highly dynamic substance that regenerates regularly and may even increase as we learn new things. She emphasizes the importance of this finding and its implications for the field of dementia: if we were able to augment myelin regeneration using therapy or even with environmental influences, dementia progression might be slowed. Finally, she gives an overview of her own research and how it links to the fields of myelin plasticity and learning.