RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
NEUROLOGY
The interest has been on immune mediated neurological disorders, neuro-infections especially SSPE, cerebrovascular disorders, dementia and neuromuscular disorders.
The Department conducted the Third International symposium on SSPE in 1989. A symposium on Mycobacterial infections and Tropical demyelinations was held in 1995. The first national symposium on Intractable epilepsy was held in 1996.
NEUROSURGERY
Clinical research is being pursued in the fields of cervical spine, craniovertebral junction anomalies, pituitary tumors, CNS tuberculosis, epilepsy surgery, intraoperative monitoring and neurocysticercosis (solitary cysticercus granuloma).
Morphological and electrophysiological characterization of Balloon cells found in surgical specimens from patients operated for intractable epilepsy due to cortical dysplasia, hemimegalechephaly and tuberous sclerosis.
NEUROCHEMISTRY
The Neurochemistry Laboratory is a protein biochemistry/enzymology laboratory with ongoing research on the cholinesterases, in neuro-infections and inborn errors of metabolism. Currently we are studying cholinesterase inhibition looking at organophosphate poisoning and mechanisms that underlie accompanying complications of paralysis.
In neuro-infections our interest is in Taenia solium cyst proteins that are of diagnostic use in neurocysticercosis.
Metabolic disorders that arise from a disruption of amino acid pathways are being studied in children.
Research funding is obtained from the Government of India and from International Agencies.
The following are the ongoing projects utilizing intramural funds from the Department of Neurological Sciences Research Fund.
- Cellular neuro-protective mechanisms induced in acute organophosphate poisoning (A CSIR project in collaboration with Medicine Unit I from March 2005).
- Conformational studies of Taenia solium metacestode proteins diagnostic for neurocysticercosis : Is there a role for unfolding to improve antigenicity ? (ICMR) (From January 2006).
NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
Neurophysiology laboratory is headed by Dr. K. Srinivasa Babu. He is involved in both basic and clinical research. In basic research, the focus is on sensorimotor organization of the hand and in epilepsy. His laboratory has developed instruments such as precision grip apparatus, skin friction measurement device, spasticity assessment for upper limb (DST, DBT grants). In collaboration with Neurology, Bioengineering, CMC Vellore and IIT Chennai they are developing a model for assessing hand function in patients with hand dysfunction. He is also collaborating on developing a sensor-based training system for home rehabilitation of the stroke paralyzed arm and hand. This is in collaboration with Bioengineering department, CMC Vellore and Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine (UKIERI an Indo-UK grant). He is also involved in epilepsy research. He has set up a new laboratory for doing extracellular and patch clamp recordings of brain slices. His focus of study is on role of amygdala in generation and propagation of epileptic activity. At present he has collaborative grants with NCBS, Bangalore (DBT grant) and Dr. Ron Stoop, Lusanne, Switzerland (DST/EPFL-Indo-Swiss grant).
On going external funded projects:
- UKIERI (UK India Education and Research Initiative) - A sensor-based training system for home rehabilitation of stroke paralyzed arm and hand.
- DST-CTI (Indo Swiss grant) Development of methods and protocols for deep brain stimulation of amygdala to treat temporal lobe epilepsy and anxiety disorders.
- DBT - A multi-disciplinary, systems-level investigation into neurobiology of Parkinson’s disease
- DBT - Cellular mechanisms of temporal lobe epilepsy: in vitro studies in the human brain and animal models.
- DBT -Implanted neural interfaces for artificial hand control
- DST -Assessment of functional residue using magnetic stimulation in stroke patients preparatory to rehabilitation.
