The Myelin Sheath as a Multilamellar Electromechanical System: Bilayer Stack Analogs, Energy Buffering, and Biological Memory

Abstract

The myelin sheath has traditionally been viewed as a passive electrical insulator that accelerates nerve impulse propagation. Recent experimental studies, however, indicate that myelin is a dynamic biological material whose structure and hydration state adapt to neuronal activity, metabolic conditions, and environmental perturbations. Building on these observations, we propose a conceptual framework that treats myelin as an adaptive electromechanical multilamellar interface, in which coupled lipid bilayers, hydration layers, and interlayer interactions influence energy dissipation, structural adaptation, and history-dependent behavior. Within this framework, collective excitations and delayed relaxation processes are hypothesized to contribute to transient energy storage and adaptive responses to electrical activity in the integrated axon–glia system. We further argue that testing this framework requires multimodal characterization combining electrophysiology with neutron and X-ray scattering, terahertz spectroscopy, and data-driven analysis to establish quantitative relationships between membrane structure, dynamics, and function. This work outlines experimentally testable predictions and provides a foundation for investigating how electromechanical adaptation of myelin may contribute to normal neural function and the early biophysical changes associated with demyelinating disease.