Myelin sheaths in the central nervous system can withstand damage and dynamically remodel

Science 2026 Open access

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Authors: Donia Arafa, Julia van de Korput, Philipp N. Braaker, Kieran Higgins, Niels R. C. Meijns, Katy L. H. Marshall-Phelps, Julia Meng, Daniel Soong, Eleonora Scalia, Kyle Lathem, Marcus Keatinge, Claire Richmond
+13 more Anna Klingseisen, Marja Main, Sarah A. Neely, David W. Hampton, Greg J. Duncan, Geert J. Schenk, Marie Louise Groot, Siddharthan Chandran, Ben Emery, Antonio Luchicchi, Maarten H. P. Kole, Anna Williams, David A. Lyons
DOI: 10.1126/science.adr4661
Cited by: 10
References: 79

Abstract

Myelin damage is a hallmark of several neurological disorders, but how it occurs remains to be fully understood. In this study, we found that early damage in zebrafish and rodent demyelination models is characterized by myelin swelling. We show, through live imaging, that myelin swelling does not always lead to myelin loss and that swellings can sometimes resolve, allowing sheaths to remodel. Increased neuronal activity during early demyelination exacerbates myelin damage, whereas reducing neuronal activity mitigates myelin swelling in both zebrafish and mice. In human multiple sclerosis tissue, myelin swelling is also dynamic and is prominent around active lesions. Our data indicate that myelin swelling is a conserved feature of demyelination and that damage to myelin sheaths can resolve, opening opportunities for targeting human disease.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms Multiple Sclerosis Research Studies Nerve injury and regeneration

Publication details

Journal / source
Science
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Volume
391
Issue
6786
Pages
eadr4661–eadr4661
Publication date
12 February 2026
Language
EN