Abstract: Derived from oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), Oligodendrocytes (OLs), one of the neuroglial cells in the central nervous system (CNS), can form insulating myelin sheaths and promote the rapid conduction of axonal action potentials. Parkinson's disease (PD), characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and striatum, is a CNS degenerative disease and its pathological hallmark is the accumulation of Lewy neurites and the eosinophilic spherical bodies named Lewy bodies(LBs), the main component of which is misfolded α-synuclein(α-uclein, α-syn). Recently, studies have found that many PD patients have potential pathological manifestations such as demyelination, white matter lesions, and OLs damage. At the same time, the accumulation of α-syn in OLs can accelerate the death of neurons, which further suggests that OLs might play an important role in the development of PD. Therefore, the deep study of the relationship between OLs and PD will help to further explore the pathogenesis of PD and provide a new idea for the discovery of new therapeutic targets of PD. What's more, maintaining the integrity of the myelin sheath and ensuring the normal function of OLs are expected to interfere with the pathological progress of PD.

Key words: oligodendrocytes, Parkinson's disease, demyelination, α-synuclein