This study aims to quantify the effects of specific myelin dystrophies, such as demyelination and remyelination, which have been observed in the aging rhesus dlPFC, on the propagation of action potentials (APs) in layer 3 pyramidal neurons. Furthermore, this study sheds light on how such age-related myelin changes affect a core cognitive function: spatial working memory.
Experimental motivation: The decline of working memory, essential for complex cognitive tasks, is a common occurrence in both human and non-human primates as they age. Studies focused on spatial working memory have demonstrated cognitive impairment throughout the adult lifespan in rhesus monkeys. The firing activity of pyramidal neurons in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) of these animals plays a crucial role in spatial working memory. These neurons undergo structural and physiological changes with aging, and some of these changes are associated with cognitive decline. Computational modeling offers a means to assess how various alterations impact the function of these neurons and of networks that they form.
Model Type: Axon; Neuron or other electrically excitable cell; Spiking neural network
Region(s) or Organism(s): Prefrontal cortex (PFC)
Cell Type(s): Myelinated neuron
Currents:
Receptors:
Genes:
Transmitters:
Model Concept(s): Action Potentials; Working memory
Simulation Environment: NEURON; Python; Brian 2; MATLAB
Implementer(s): Sengupta, Nilapratim; Ibanez, Sara [sibanezs at bu.edu]; Weaver, Christina [christina.weaver at fandm.edu]; Wimmer, Klaus [wimmer.klaus at gmail.com]
References:
Ibañez S, Sengupta N, Luebke JI, Wimmer K, Weaver CM. (2024). Myelin dystrophy impairs signal transmission and working memory in a multiscale model of the aging prefrontal cortex. eLife. 12 [PubMed]