Oligodendrocytes continue to differentiate from their precursor cells even in adulthood, a process that can be modulated by neuronal activity and experience. Previous work has indicated that conditional ablation of oligodendrogenesis in adult mice leads to learning and memory deficits in a range of behavioral tasks. The current study replicated and re-evaluated evidence for a role of oligodendrogenesis in motor learning, using a complex running wheel task. Further, we found that ablating oligodendrogenesis alters brain microstructure (ex vivo MRI) and brain activity (in vivo EEG) independent of experience with the task. This suggests a role for adult oligodendrocyte formation in the maintenance of brain function and indicates that task-independent changes due to oligodendrogenesis ablation need to be considered when interpreting learning and memory deficits in this model.
Journal article
Glia
10/2024
72
1728 - 1745
EEG, Myrf, motor learning, myelin, oligodendrocytes, plasticity, preclinical MRI, Animals, Oligodendroglia, Brain, Mice, Male, Mice, Transgenic, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Motor Activity, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Electroencephalography