Myelination beyond development: glial contributions to brain dysfunction
** Lecture will be given in English**
Abstract:
Myelination is a fundamental biological process that enables efficient signal transmission in the nervous system and supports coordinated brain activity and behavior. Accumulating evidence suggests that myelination is dynamically regulated and vulnerable across neurodevelopmental disorders. In this talk, I will present work from our lab examining how genetic perturbations linked to Williams syndrome and autism spectrum disorders disrupt myelinating glial cells and white matter integrity, with consequences for neural function and behavior. Using cell type-specific genetic mouse models, human iPSC-derived glial cells, and multi-scale molecular, cellular, and physiological approaches, we uncover unexpected roles for disease-associated genes in oligodendrocytes and their precursors. Our findings demonstrate that altered gene function in myelinating cells can impair axonal conductivity, network synchronization, and behavior, while targeted modulation of myelination can partially rescue these deficits. Together, these studies highlight oligodendrocytes as active contributors to neurodevelopmental pathology and identify myelination as a potential therapeutic entry point across disorders with distinct genetic origins.
