myelin
noun
my·e·lin ˈmī-ə-lən 
: a soft white material that forms a thick layer around the axons of some neurons and is composed chiefly of lipids (such as cerebroside and cholesterol), water, and smaller amounts of protein
myelinic
ˌmī-ə-ˈli-nik
adjective 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web As expected, the decrease in oligodendrocytes was also accompanied by a loss of myelin. 
William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 2 Aug. 2022 But as people get older, those signals start to peter out, resulting in fewer oligodendrocytes, less myelin, and weaker communication between neurons — the biological precursor to memory loss. Megan Molteni, STAT, 14 May 2022 As more and more myelin gets destroyed—a process called demyelination1—M.S. symptoms pop up. Sara Gaynes Levy, SELF, 19 Apr. 2022 Blocking seizures with the anti-epilepsy drug ethosuximide (sold under the name Zarontin by Pfizer) reduced the thickening of the myelin. Jonathan Wosen, STAT, 4 May 2022 In this case, your immune system mistakenly attacks your myelin and damages the myelin sheath. Sara Gaynes Levy, SELF, 7 Mar. 2022 When the myelin is damaged, your nerve signals can’t function properly, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Korin Miller, SELF, 12 Nov. 2021 Glatiramer acetate is injected under your skin to help prevent your immune system from attacking your myelin. Korin Miller, SELF, 12 Nov. 2021 But scientists don’t know if extra myelin is a cause or an effect of misophonia. Alison Escalante, Forbes, 14 Sep. 2021 See More
William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 2 Aug. 2022 But as people get older, those signals start to peter out, resulting in fewer oligodendrocytes, less myelin, and weaker communication between neurons — the biological precursor to memory loss. Megan Molteni, STAT, 14 May 2022 As more and more myelin gets destroyed—a process called demyelination1—M.S. symptoms pop up. Sara Gaynes Levy, SELF, 19 Apr. 2022 Blocking seizures with the anti-epilepsy drug ethosuximide (sold under the name Zarontin by Pfizer) reduced the thickening of the myelin. Jonathan Wosen, STAT, 4 May 2022 In this case, your immune system mistakenly attacks your myelin and damages the myelin sheath. Sara Gaynes Levy, SELF, 7 Mar. 2022 When the myelin is damaged, your nerve signals can’t function properly, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Korin Miller, SELF, 12 Nov. 2021 Glatiramer acetate is injected under your skin to help prevent your immune system from attacking your myelin. Korin Miller, SELF, 12 Nov. 2021 But scientists don’t know if extra myelin is a cause or an effect of misophonia. Alison Escalante, Forbes, 14 Sep. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
borrowed from German Myelin, from Greek myelós "bone marrow" + German -in -in entry 1 — more at myelo-
Note: The term was introduced by Rudolf virchow in "Ueber das ausgebreitete Vorkommen einer dem Nervenmark analogen Substanz in den thierischen Geweben," Archiv für pathologische Anatomie und Physiologie und für klinische Medicin, 6. Band (1854), p. 571
First Known Use
1866, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing myelin
Medical Definition
myelin
noun
my·e·lin ˈmī-ə-lən
: a soft white material of lipid and protein that is secreted by oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells and forms a thick sheath about axons see myelin sheath