Figure 5.
Theoretical Model Supported by Results Summary. We propose a model where alcohol causes demyelination, followed by the initiation of remyelination of axons in the Cg1 of males. Three pieces of evidence support this demyelination + remyelination hypothesis in males: (1) a decrease in overall myelin density, coupled with (2) no change in the number of nodes, and (3) a shift in the distribution towards myelinated axons with larger diameters. All three results are consistent with having thinner and shorter myelin sheaths, which is a staple of remyelination [45,46]. We did not observe the same phenomenon in females, suggesting a less robust effect of alcohol on myelin in females, or possibly a more effective remyelination process that returns the myelinated fiber density levels back to normal by the end of the alcohol exposure period.