Machine learning identifies genes linked to neurological disorders induced by equine encephalitis viruses, traumatic brain injuries, and organophosphorus nerve agents

Aug 5, 2026

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Machine learning workflows were used to connect gene expression patterns with neurological disorders triggered by equine encephalitis viruses, traumatic brain injuries, and organophosphorus nerve agents. Transcriptomic datasets from TBI, EEV, and OPNA injuries were collected and normalized across multiple platforms, then integrated to discover both shared and condition-specific molecular signatures. Deep neural networks extracted association signals to predict distinct neurological disorders from VEEV, OPNA, and TBI samples, while gene ontology and pathway analyses linked gene product functions to disease-relevant biology and potential countermeasure targets.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Methods

Data collection and preprocessing

Integrated machine learning framework

Results

Gene discovery and shared vs distinctive signatures

Deep neural network predictions

Gene ontology and pathway analysis

Discussion

Implications for biomarkers and neuroprotective targets

Conclusion

TYPE Original Research PUBLISHED 13 May 2025 DOI 10.3389/fncom.2025.1529902 OPEN ACCESS EDITED BY Hassene Seddik, University of Tunis/RIFTSI Laboratory (Smart Robotic, Friability and Signal and Image Processing Research Laboratory), Tunisia REVIEWED BY Giorgos Livanos, Technical University of Crete, Greece Mohammad Khubeb Siddiqui, Saudi Arabia Basic Industries, Saudi Arabia *CORRESPONDENCE Xiaowei Wu [xwwu@vt.edu](xwwu@vt.edu)[ ](xwwu@vt.edu)Hehuang Xie [davidxie@vt.edu](davidxie@vt.edu)[ ](davidxie@vt.edu)RECEIVED 18 November 2024 ACCEPTED 29 April 2025 PUBLISHED 13 May 2025 CITATION Yin L, VanderGiessen M, Kumar V, Conacher B, Chao P-CH, Theus M, Johnson E, Kehn-Hall K, Wu X and Xie H (2025) Machine learning identifies genes linked to neurological disorders induced by equine encephalitis viruses, traumatic brain injuries, and organophosphorus nerve agents. Front. Comput. Neurosci. 19:1529902 . doi: 10.3389/fncom.2025.1529902 COPYRIGHT © 2025 Yin, VanderGiessen, Kumar, Conacher, Chao, Theus, Johnson, Kehn-Hall, Wu and Xie. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. Machine learning identifies genes linked to neurological disorders induced by equine encephalitis viruses, traumatic brain injuries, and organophosphorus nerve agents Liduo Yin 1, Morgen VanderGiessen 1,2, Vinoth Kumar 1, Benjamin Conacher 1, Po-Chien Haku Chao 1, Michelle Theus 1, Erik Johnson3, Kylene Kehn-Hall 1,2, Xiaowei Wu4* and Hehuang Xie 1* 1 Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States, 2Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States, 3 Neuroscience Department, Medical Toxicology Division, U. S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, Aberdeen, MD, United States, 4 Department of Statistics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States Venezuelan, eastern, and western equine encephalitis viruses (collectively referred to as equine encephalitis viruses---EEV) cause serious neurological diseases and pose a significant threat to the civilian population and the warfighter. Likewise, organophosphorus nerve agents (OPNA) are highly toxic chemicals that pose serious health threats of neurological deficits to both military and civilian personnel around the world. Consequently, only a select few approved research groups are permitted to study these dangerous chemical and biological warfare agents. This has created a significant gap in our scientific understanding of the mechanisms underlying neurological diseases. Valuable insights may be gleaned by drawing parallels to other extensively researched neuropathologies, such as traumatic brain injuries (TBI) . By examining combined gene expression profiles, common and unique molecular characteristics may be discovered, providing new insights into medical countermeasures (MCMs) for TBI, EEV infection and OPNA neuropathologies and sequelae. In this study, we collected transcriptomic datasets for neurological disorders caused by TBI, EEV, and OPNA injury, and implemented a framework to normalize and integrate gene expression datasets derived from various platforms. Effective machine learning approaches were developed to identify critical genes that are either shared by or distinctive among the three neuropathologies. With the aid of deep neural networks, we were able to extract important ass

FAQs

What neurological conditions are analyzed in this study?

The study analyzes neurological disorders caused by traumatic brain injuries, equine encephalitis viruses, and organophosphorus nerve agents, using integrated transcriptomic datasets.

How are gene expression datasets handled for machine learning?

Transcriptomic datasets from different platforms are normalized and integrated into a unified framework before training machine learning models.

What biological insight is obtained beyond gene prediction?

Gene ontology and pathway analyses identify neuropathologic features tied to specific gene product attributes and functions, clarifying underlying disease biology.

Aug 5, 2026

Upload by Rowan