Myelination of the peripheral nervous system begins about 24 weeks after conception.  However, myelination is most intense after birth and begins at the spinal cord, gradually progressing to include the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain. Myelination affects sensory cortices prior to motor cortices.

Brandeis University

The main mechanism driving synapse rearrangement are similar to those driving plasticity: Experience. Synapses that are more frequently stimulated by our experiences  may acquire more neurotrophic factors that allow them to survive. These synapses may also undergo more myelination in order to conduct impulses more rapidly in the brain. 

Mechanisms of Synapse Rearrangement

Breedlove, S. & Watson, N. (2017). Behavioral neuroscience, eighth edition. Oxford University Press.

Behavioral Neuroscience 8th Edition

Trends in Myelination

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune condition in which the cells of the immune system attack the myelin sheath insulating some axons, forming patchy scars. The symptoms of multiple sclerosis vary depending on the areas of the brain affected, but the most common systems are typically pain, blurry vision, and tingling or numbness. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms, usually by implementing immunosuppressive drugs into the treatment plan.

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