Remyelination

Remyelination is the process of propagating oligodendrocyte precursor cells to form oligodendrocytes to create new myelin sheaths on demyelinated axons in the Central nervous system (CNS). This is a process naturally regulated in the body and tends to be very efficient in a healthy CNS.[1] The process creates a thinner myelin sheath than normal, but it helps to protect the axon from further damage, from overall degeneration, and proves to increase conductance once again. The processes underlying remyelination are under investigation in the hope of finding treatments for demyelinating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis.

As of 2022 the status of possible remyelination acceleration is of trials only,[2] with side effects of possible drugs one limiting issue.[3]

  1. ^ Franklin, Robin J. M.; ffrench-Constant, Charles (November 2008). "Remyelination in the CNS: from biology to therapy". Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 9 (11): 839–855. doi:10.1038/nrn2480. PMID 18931697.
  2. ^ Brown, J. William L.; Prados, Ferran; Altmann, Daniel R.; Kanber, Baris; Stutters, Jonathan; Cunniffe, Nick G.; Jones, Joanne L.; Georgieva, Zoya G.; Needham, Edward J.; Daruwalla, Cyrus; Wheeler-Kingshott, Claudia Gandini; Connick, Peter; Chandran, Siddharthan; Franklin, Robin; MacManus, David; Samson, Rebecca; Coles, Alasdair; Chard, Declan (October 2022). "Remyelination varies between and within lesions in multiple sclerosis following bexarotene". Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology. 9 (10): 1626–1642. doi:10.1002/acn3.51662. PMC 9539389. PMID 36116011.
  3. ^ Brown, J William L; Cunniffe, Nick G; Prados, Ferran; Kanber, Baris; Jones, Joanne L; Needham, Edward; Georgieva, Zoya; Rog, David; Pearson, Owen R; Overell, James; MacManus, David; Samson, Rebecca S; Stutters, Jonathan; ffrench-Constant, Charles; Gandini Wheeler-Kingshott, Claudia A M; Moran, Carla; Flynn, Paul D; Michell, Andrew W; Franklin, Robin J M; Chandran, Siddharthan; Altmann, Daniel R; Chard, Declan T; Connick, Peter; Coles, Alasdair J (September 2021). "Safety and efficacy of bexarotene in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (CCMR One): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, phase 2a study". The Lancet Neurology. 20 (9): 709–720. doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(21)00179-4. hdl:20.500.11820/61820e46-7a36-403a-8fc2-c1e241e4facc. PMID 34418398.