AutSim (AUTism SIMulation): AutSim looks at cellular signaling and physiology changes in Autism disease models. The current model focuses on the pathways involved in synaptic activity-driven protein synthesis in pyramidal neurons from rodent models.
This model covers 40 signaling pathways specified using mass-action chemistry.These are substantially constrained by an extensive database of over 200 experiments.
Forthcoming milestones are:
a) to complete the base-level parameter fitting for the individual pathways.
b) to complete the fitting of inter-pathway interactions, leading to release of the v.1.0 wild-type model, and
c) to complete the fitting of model variants specific to the FMR1 mutation, which will culminate in the release of the v.1.0 FMR1 model.
At a later stage the model will expand to include physiological elements such as synaptic input and plasticity processes including those being investigated by the Plasticity project. Participants in the project include: