The inhibition of apoptosis by treatment with SAHA by maintaining the levels of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, establishes the role of mitochondrial apoptotic pathway in oligodendrocyte death and may provide an insight into the mechanisms by which Abcd1-deficiency causes oligodendrocyte loss and demyelination in the CNS of X-ALD patients. Here, ABCD1 is linked to X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy.