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SUMMARY:Myelin Plasticity: a New Neural Circuit Modifier for Opioid Reward
  - Dr Belgin Yalçın (Stanford University)
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260121T150000Z
DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260121T160000Z
UID:https://talks.ox.ac.uk/talks/id/e96bc3d3-bfde-4ef2-95aa-938d25eaa683/
DESCRIPTION:Neural activity-regulated myelin plasticity is increasingly re
 cognized as a dynamic regulator of neural circuit function shaping cogniti
 on and learning. However\, its role in pathological circuit remodelling re
 mains largely unexplored. Drugs of abuse\, including opioids such as morph
 ine\, target the dopaminergic reward system and drive persistent synaptic 
 and circuit-level modifications. Although microglia and astrocytes have be
 en implicated in these adaptations\, the contribution of myelin-forming ol
 igodendroglial lineage cells\, which are uniquely positioned to modify cir
 cuit function\, has remained unknown. In this talk\, I will discuss our fi
 ndings demonstrating that myelin plasticity is a key modulator of dopamine
 rgic circuit function and opioid reward. Increased dopaminergic neuron act
 ivity\, evoked by either optogenetic stimulation or morphine\, induces oli
 godendrogenesis within the reward system in a circuit- and region-specific
  manner. Disrupting this myelin plasticity through conditional blockade of
  oligodendrogenesis abrogates morphine-associated reward learning\, identi
 fying oligodendroglial cells as critical regulators of reward behaviour. R
 eal-time dopamine recordings reveal that myelin plasticity is necessary fo
 r modulating network synchrony and ensuring a timely dopamine release requ
 ired for reward learning. Our findings establish myelin plasticity as a pr
 eviously unappreciated feature of dopaminergic reward circuitry that criti
 cally contributes to the behavioural reinforcing effects of opioids.\nSpea
 kers:\nDr Belgin Yalçın (Stanford University)
LOCATION:This is a virtual event\; please contact events@dpag.ox.ac.uk for
  Teams Link
TZID:Europe/London
URL:https://talks.ox.ac.uk/talks/id/e96bc3d3-bfde-4ef2-95aa-938d25eaa683/
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DESCRIPTION:Talk:Myelin Plasticity: a New Neural Circuit Modifier for Opio
 id Reward - Dr Belgin Yalçın (Stanford University)
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