Oligodendrocytes: Cells of origin for white matter injury in the developing brain

A prominent pattern of brain injury in preterm born infants involves damage to white matter with impaired oligodendrocyte maturation. This results in diffuse deficits in myelination that are associated with later development of cerebral palsy. While numerous experimental animal models of perinatal white matter injury have been developed, they show a spectrum of effects. This review proposes that adopting a more standard approach to defining white matter injury is important for validating experimental findings against the bona fide human condition. This chapter will describe the pathology of perinatal white matter injury and a general methodological approach for assessing white matter injury experimentally.