Myelination

Myelination, also known as myelinization, is a process that occurs in the brain wherein a myelin sheath is formed around a nerve fiber. Myelinated neurons are the white matter of the brain. The explosion of neurological research has increased educational psychologists' interest in exploring how the brain works and its relationship to learning as myelination is a developmental process. Important issues of myelination include how and when it is formed and what new research says about its production and destruction.

Myelin is composed of lipid fat and protein. It is produced by different cell types and varies in its chemical composition. However, although varied by cell of origin and composition, all myelin performs the same function—insulation. The process of myelination occurs when the myelin envelops the ...