SIGNIFICANCE OF SYNAPTIC PRUNING IN BRAIN HEALTH: A COMPUTATIONAL ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENTIAL GENE EXPRESSION IN ASD

Abstract

Our brain is complex but is gifted by its internal processes that help in maintaining the balance between plasticity and homeostasis. One such method that is known to help refine our neural circuit is called Synaptic Pruning. This process ensures the removal of the excess synapses to ensure proper brain development. Apart from improving memory storage and learning capacity, pruning has also served as an inspiration for the algorithm to optimize neural networks. This thesis focuses on various roles of pruning with a primary stress on its significant role in neurodevelopmental disorders. The aberrations in pruning are one of the main reasons for neurodegeneration. In order to investigate further, we have taken a case of Autism Spectrum Disorder to perform a computational differential analysis using R to find plausible biomarkers that could be targeted to design therapeutics for controlling the impacts of pruning to prevent the onset of ASD. The effects of under pruning and over-pruning are immense on the brain and are also known to influence the gut microbiota, as per studies. With advancements in studies around pruning, specific biomarkers could be found that correlate with cognitive resilience. We aim to provide a detailed review of how activity-dependent pruning has evolved over time and has guided the identification of new, therapeutically relevant mechanisms by which circuit development can go wrong in neurodevelopmental disorders.