Background

Mitochondria are tiny organelles that produce most of the energy that our brain cells need to function. When this energy production fails, it can contribute to neurological diseases like Parkinson’s. Understanding exactly what goes wrong is challenging because the process is complex and experiments measuring how mitochondria function can be difficult to interpret.

Research

We used a mathematical model to simulate how different disease defects affect mitochondrial energy production in neurons. We compared experimental data with the model simulations to predict which defects are present in each experimental system. Testing this approach, we identified specific impairments unique to different models of Parkinson’s. We made all our data publicly available, so that other researchers can compare their own experiments to the model, and predict which molecular malfunction is causing their observations.

Potential Impact

This work provides researchers with a freely available resource to interpret mitochondrial experiments, identify potential molecular defects, and enable more targeted experimental designs to better understand mitochondrial dysfunction in Parkinson’s Disease and other conditions.