The Department of Health and Human Services' National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded a $485,152 Project Grant under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders (CFDA 93.853) to investigate the role of gut-derived extracellular vesicles in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following traumatic brain injury (TBI).
The research is being conducted by a partnership between Henry Ford Health and Michigan State University Health Sciences. Key activities include: 1) studying how changes in gut microbiota-derived extracellular vesicles following TBI may regulate serotonergic neurons, neuroinflammation, and PTSD-like behaviors in mice; and 2) evaluating whether extracellular vesicles derived from select probiotics can increase serotonin levels and alleviate psychiatric-like symptoms in TBI animal models. The 5-year project aims to provide new insights into the pathogenesis of TBI and identify potential microbial-based therapies for preventing and treating comorbid TBI/PTSD. The research team includes a co-investigator from Wayne State University who will oversee the fear conditioning experiments and provide PTSD expertise.
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