Research Projects

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a crucial role in maintaining neuronal integrity and intercellular communication. However, in pathogenic conditions, they carry various molecular determinants and misfolded proteins associated with neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. The Hippocampus, the primary region of neurogenesis, is affected by abnormal neurotransmitter release, imbalanced neurotrophic factors, and circulating pathogenic EVs. Disruption in neurogenesis has been hypothesized to countersign neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Multiple sclerosis. Therapeutic Tetanus toxoid (TT) is a FDA-approved vaccine that rehabilitates tetanus neurotoxin (TeNT) by treating it with formaldehyde and lysine. TT can block neurotransmitter release from inhibitory interneurons and regulate inflammatory cytokines, potentially helping to counteract inflammatory-related disorders like Multiple sclerosis. The proposed study aims to assess TT's effect on pathogenicity and hippocampal plasticity in both in vivo and in vitro conditions in control and disease conditions like Multiple sclerosis. The study will examine the modulation of cognitive, depression, and anxiety-related behaviors in experimental animals, the regulation of hippocampal neuroregenerative plasticity, and the fate determination of neural stem cells in vitro using live cell imaging and co immunofluorescence techniques.