As thiamine facilitates axonal conduction, I wonder if it plays some role in the development of the myelin seath generated by oligodendrocites
Interesting question. Thiamine or vitamin B1 deficiency can cause a selective demyelination of the splenium of the corpus callosum in humans, so called "Marchiafava-Bignami's disease". These are usually alcoholic patients that are malnourished because they get all their calories from alcohol and do not eat. It suggests that thiamine is necessary for the maintenance of myelin sheath in long myelinated fibers connecting both hemispheres of the brain. I hope this piece of information boots your curiosity even more...
Alberto, thanks for your comments. For years I 've being using thiamine as an adjunct therapy for diabetic neuropathy with good results in the neuropathic pain and even in the sensitive deficits, both I think, in relation to remyelination process. So I presume I will do no harm in adding Thiamine to patients with symptoms of age related leucoaraiosis,
Annotation: nutritional factors have been suspected in Marchiafava-Bignamis disease (MBD), but no specific nutrient has been identified. Classical exampel of thiamin deficiency with neurological manifestation is Wernicke's encephalopathy.
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