Investigating the brain’s insulation

Following his uncle’s brain injury, Dr David Gonsalvez studied neuroscience and now researches the connections between brain cells and how they change in diseases like Multiple Sclerosis.
“The cells that I study make the insulating material myelin, that covers all of the wires in the brain,” says Dr Gonsalvez.
Our ‘wiring’ is formed by axons, the long stalks that grow out of the brain’s neurons and carry electrical signals to other neurons. Myelin is wrapped around axons to insulate the signals, just like wires in a house.
By studying the impact of the environment on myelin and how it forms, Dr Gonsalvez and his team hope to also understand what happens when it degrades and the electrical signal is disrupted, as happens in Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
“I’m starting to get really interested in whether or not those features of growth are impacted by your environment and conditions,” Dr Gonsalvez says.
“Any situation that you’re put in, any interaction you’re having with the environment, and any interaction you have with other people and anybody, will have an impact on your brain.”
Episode recorded: June 19, 2019.
Interviewer: Dr Andi Horvath.
Producer, audio engineer and editor: Chris Hatzis.
Co-production: Silvi Vann-Wall and Dr Andi Horvath.
Image: Getty Images.

Following his uncle’s brain injury, Dr David Gonsalvez studied neuroscience and now researches the connections between brain cells and how they change in diseases like Multiple Sclerosis.

“The cells that I study make the insulating material myelin, that covers all of the wires in the brain,” says Dr Gonsalvez.

Our ‘wiring’ is formed by axons, the long stalks that grow out of the brain’s neurons and carry electrical signals to other neurons. Myelin is wrapped around axons to insulate the signals, just like wires in a house.

By studying the impact of the environment on myelin and how it forms, Dr Gonsalvez and his team hope to also understand what happens when it degrades and the electrical signal is disrupted, as happens in Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

“I’m starting to get really interested in whether or not those features of growth are impacted by your environment and conditions,” Dr Gonsalvez says.

“Any situation that you’re put in, any interaction you’re having with the environment, and any interaction you have with other people and anybody, will have an impact on your brain.”

Episode recorded: June 19, 2019.

Interviewer: Dr Andi Horvath.

Producer, audio engineer and editor: Chris Hatzis.

Co-production: Silvi Vann-Wall and Dr Andi Horvath.

Image: Getty Images.