Dr. Carlos Matute Almau

He discovered that oligodendrocytes and myelin are highly vulnerable to glutamate and purinergic agonists, a feature that is relevant to multiple sclerosis and brain ischemia. These findings uncovered the now extended and accepted view that glutamate and ATP excitotoxicity of oligodendrocytes contributes to brain tissue damage in neurological diseases. In turn, his laboratory has found neurotransmitter receptor-mediated mechanisms that promote remyelination. His current research interests focus on the use of myelin as fuel for brain activity and its relevance to multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer´s disease. Recent results in his lab have shown that myelin content is reduced upon endurance exercise.