NSC 15276
No. of Pages 1, Model 5G
17 March 2014
Please cite this article in press as: , . Introduction. Neuroscience (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.03.010 1
Neuroscience xxx (2014) xxx–xxx
2
INTRODUCTION
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38
To decode the meaning of these words, numerous areas of your brain – from the anterior to the most posterior – need to communicate at a millisecond timescale; this is achieved by myelination of axonal tracts. Through the last decades, novel understanding on the central nervous system white matter has emerged from a variety of disciplines; molecular biology, physiology, and imaging studies. Numerous approaches based on both animal and human data have revealed white matter changes in development, aging, pathology and plasticity. These findings range from the smallest molecular level to that of entire brain. Hence, integrating these findings into a unified understanding of the white matter is an enormous scientific challenge. This special issue seeks to both highlight the diverse and critical roles of the white matter and, importantly, bring together the different disciplines. In order to fastforward advances in the field, trans-disciplinary communication must be established. A challenge is that these different fields use partly different terminology and methodology, generating barriers. How, if at all, do cell culture and single-cell recordings relate to macroscopic imaging of human beings? Even if these questions are difficult to answer, attempts at integration should, and are starting to be made. This issue is an attempt to break down barriers by combining multidisciplinary reviews and research papers to unravel the secrets of the white matter. The issue is designed to cover major research themes of the white matter, enabling an understanding of the white matter from different perspectives, including development, aging, function, plasticity, and pathology. In the developmental section, we learn about the mechanisms regulating the development of oligodendrocytes, i.e. the myelinating cells of the central nervous system (Mitew et al., Magri et al.), and the dynamic communication
between unmyelinated axons and the oligodendrocyte progenitors (Ameida and Lyons), as well as the broader white matter systems’ development in children (Dubois et al.) and cognitive correlates (Treit et al.). Furthermore, two reviews cover white matter changes with aging (Salat) and cognitive correlates (Bennett and Madden). Functional roles of the white matter are further explored from the cellular level (Lundgaard et al.) and how myelin regulates conduction times (Seidl) and metabolic function of the neuron (Rinholm and Bergersen), in addition to the broader role of white matter axonal properties (Paus et al.). The emerging evidence that white matter structural changes occur in response to learning is reviewed at a biological (Wang and Young) and biophysical level (Pajivic et al.), and the methods to detect such white matter changes by diffusion MRI are critically assessed (Concha). Finally, implications of injury and disease involving the white matter are reviewed (Elitt and Rosenberg, Amlien and Fjell). The special issue covers a wide field of research approaches. To aid transdisciplinary communication, we have written a paper on methodologies and approaches used in biology and imaging of the white matter broadly (Karadottir, Johansen-Berg and Walhovd). We hope this issue will aid and inspire collaboration between different branches of research on the development, aging, function, plasticity and pathology of the white matter. Thus we hope that readers will be encouraged to explore outside their research focus. With open mind interesting questions will arise relating different observations and ideas presented, these are the questions that need to be addressed. In summary, the plethora of topics covered in this issue underscores the broad importance of the white matter for brain function.
39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.03.010 0306-4522/Ó 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd. on behalf of IBRO. 1
No. of Pages 1, Model 5G
17 March 2014
Please cite this article in press as: , . Introduction. Neuroscience (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.03.010 1
Neuroscience xxx (2014) xxx–xxx
2
INTRODUCTION
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38
To decode the meaning of these words, numerous areas of your brain – from the anterior to the most posterior – need to communicate at a millisecond timescale; this is achieved by myelination of axonal tracts. Through the last decades, novel understanding on the central nervous system white matter has emerged from a variety of disciplines; molecular biology, physiology, and imaging studies. Numerous approaches based on both animal and human data have revealed white matter changes in development, aging, pathology and plasticity. These findings range from the smallest molecular level to that of entire brain. Hence, integrating these findings into a unified understanding of the white matter is an enormous scientific challenge. This special issue seeks to both highlight the diverse and critical roles of the white matter and, importantly, bring together the different disciplines. In order to fastforward advances in the field, trans-disciplinary communication must be established. A challenge is that these different fields use partly different terminology and methodology, generating barriers. How, if at all, do cell culture and single-cell recordings relate to macroscopic imaging of human beings? Even if these questions are difficult to answer, attempts at integration should, and are starting to be made. This issue is an attempt to break down barriers by combining multidisciplinary reviews and research papers to unravel the secrets of the white matter. The issue is designed to cover major research themes of the white matter, enabling an understanding of the white matter from different perspectives, including development, aging, function, plasticity, and pathology. In the developmental section, we learn about the mechanisms regulating the development of oligodendrocytes, i.e. the myelinating cells of the central nervous system (Mitew et al., Magri et al.), and the dynamic communication
between unmyelinated axons and the oligodendrocyte progenitors (Ameida and Lyons), as well as the broader white matter systems’ development in children (Dubois et al.) and cognitive correlates (Treit et al.). Furthermore, two reviews cover white matter changes with aging (Salat) and cognitive correlates (Bennett and Madden). Functional roles of the white matter are further explored from the cellular level (Lundgaard et al.) and how myelin regulates conduction times (Seidl) and metabolic function of the neuron (Rinholm and Bergersen), in addition to the broader role of white matter axonal properties (Paus et al.). The emerging evidence that white matter structural changes occur in response to learning is reviewed at a biological (Wang and Young) and biophysical level (Pajivic et al.), and the methods to detect such white matter changes by diffusion MRI are critically assessed (Concha). Finally, implications of injury and disease involving the white matter are reviewed (Elitt and Rosenberg, Amlien and Fjell). The special issue covers a wide field of research approaches. To aid transdisciplinary communication, we have written a paper on methodologies and approaches used in biology and imaging of the white matter broadly (Karadottir, Johansen-Berg and Walhovd). We hope this issue will aid and inspire collaboration between different branches of research on the development, aging, function, plasticity and pathology of the white matter. Thus we hope that readers will be encouraged to explore outside their research focus. With open mind interesting questions will arise relating different observations and ideas presented, these are the questions that need to be addressed. In summary, the plethora of topics covered in this issue underscores the broad importance of the white matter for brain function.
39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.03.010 0306-4522/Ó 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd. on behalf of IBRO. 1
