Computational brain models: Advances from system biology and future challenges
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1
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia
Computational brain models focused on the interactions between neurons and astrocytes, modeled via metabolic reconstructions, are reviewed. The large source of experimental data provided by the -omics techniques and the advance/application of computational and data-management tools are being fundamental. For instance, in the understanding of the crosstalk between these cells, the key neuroprotective mechanisms mediated by astrocytes in specific metabolic scenarios (1) and the identification of biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases (2,3). However, the modeling of these interactions demands a clear view of the metabolic and signaling pathways implicated, but most of them are controversial and are still under evaluation (4). Hence, to gain insight into the complexity of these interactions a current view of the main pathways implicated in the neuron-astrocyte communication processes have been made from recent experimental reports and reviews. Furthermore, target problems, limitations and main conclusions have been identified from metabolic models of the brain reported from 2010. Finally, key aspects to take into account into the development of a computational model of the brain and topics that could be approached from a systems biology perspective in future research are highlighted.
References
(1) Calvetti D, Somersalo E (2012) Ménage à trois: the role of neurotransmitters in the energy metabolism of astrocytes, glutamatergic, and GABAergic neurons. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 32:1472–1483. doi: 10.1038/jcbfm.2012.31.
(2) Lewis NE, Schramm G, Bordbar A, et al (2010) Large-scale in silico modeling of metabolic interactions between cell types in the human brain. Nat Biotechnol 28:1279–85. doi: 10.1038/nbt.1711.
(3) Sertbaş M, Ulgen K, Cakır T (2014) Systematic analysis of transcription-level effects of neurodegenerative diseases on human brain metabolism by a newly reconstructed brain-specific metabolic network. FEBS Open Bio 4:542–53. doi:
10.1016/j.fob.2014.05.006.
(4) Mciver SR, Faideau M, Haydon PG (2013) Astrocyte–Neuron Communications. In: Neural-Immune Interactions in Brain Function and Alcohol Related Disorders. Cui C, Grandison L, Noronha A (eds)Springer US, Boston, MA, pp 31–65.
Keywords:
Computational Biology,
Astrocytes,
Metabolism,
Neuron,
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Conference:
Latin-American School on glial cells in the diseased brain (IBRO), Bogotá, Colombia, 13 Jul - 17 Jul, 2015.
Presentation Type:
Oral Presentation
Topic:
Neural excitability, synaptic transmission, glia: Cellular and molecular mechanisms
Citation:
Gomez
D,
Vega-Vela
NE,
Barreto
G and
Gonzalez
J
(2015). Computational brain models: Advances from system biology and future challenges.
Conference Abstract:
Latin-American School on glial cells in the diseased brain (IBRO).
doi: 10.3389/conf.fncel.2015.35.00004
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Received:
25 Feb 2015;
Published Online:
16 May 2015.
*
Correspondence:
Prof. George E. Barreto, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia, gesbarreto@gmail.com