Tianyou Xu1, Way Cherng Chen2, Michiel Kleinnijenhuis1, Sean Foxley1, and Karla L Miller1
Biophysical modeling of axons has conventionally
assumed cylindrical geometries. In reality, axons vary in shape. Models
consisting of circles benefit from simplicity, however the consequences of this
assumption have not been studied. In this work, simulations incorporating
realistic myelin shape derived from electron microscopy are employed to model
white matter demyelination. Simulations are compared to a cohort of mice with
varying levels of demyelination. Predictions from models that incorporate realistic
myelin shape are in better agreement with experimental results in a mouse model
of demyelination than those from circular models.
