Date of Award

2023

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Rangaraju, Vidhya

Abstract

The brain consumes 20% of the total energy of the human body despite its 2% volume, and deficiencies in its energy supplies lead to brain disorders. Understanding how neurons meet their high energy demands, especially during synaptic plasticity, may help solve these challenging brain conditions. Prior research shows that mitochondria exist as stabilized compartments within dendrites, and this stabilization is accomplished via tethering to the cytoskeleton. This mitochondria–cytoskeleton tethering is likely achieved by proteins, but the specific proteins involved remain unclear. This project will determine the protein mechanisms tethering and stabilizing mitochondria in regions of high energy demand. We hypothesize that knocking down the expression of key tethering proteins will decrease the percentage of interaction between mitochondria and the actin cytoskeleton within neuronal dendrites. As mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Parkinson’s, rescuing mitochondrial stability may bring us closer to curing them.

Comments

Thesis (B.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, 2023

Extent

34 p.

Identifier

FAUHT00268

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