MA Defense – Robert Young

When:
May 28, 2015 @ 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
2015-05-28T15:00:00-10:00
2015-05-28T16:00:00-10:00
Where:
Keller 302

Title:
Mathematical Modeling of the Evolution and Development of Myelin

Link to project draft.

Abstract:
Nerve impulses exhibit an increased conduction velocity in axons that are wrapped with myelin. Although unmyelinated and myelinated axons are well studied, the process of myelination that allow the formation of myelin on previously unmyelinated axons is not well understood. In this paper we develop a mathematical model of myelination. By varying a parameter that represents the tightness of myelin, this model was made to describe the unmyelinated axon, the fully myelinated axon, and the transitional states in between. As myelin tightens, a slowdown in conduction velocity occurs in the transitional states before a speedup. Varying other geometric parameters such as the thickness and length of myelin shows that some sequences of geometric changes are more optimal than others.