Nongenetic Animal Models of Myelin Disorders

This chapter concerns animal models of a diverse group of insults that can directly perturb myelin or the cells that synthesize myelin in the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS). Section 2 briefly relates the developmental sequence of events culminating in myelin deposition and the biochemical characteristics of myelin in the CNS and PNS. Diseases or other insults, e.g., chemical, which appear to affect myelin primarily do so either because of vulnerable periods in development leading to maturation of myelinating cells, including the myelination process, or because of unique aspects of myelin composition. Section 3 concerns general considerations in the selection and evaluation of an animal model.