The Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences

The Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences (CIBS) at Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Kerala is a flagship research center established in 2022 to address fundamental and translational research questions in psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. The center is dedicated to advancing the understanding of the underlying causes of neuropsychiatric disorders and developing innovative treatments to improve the lives of individuals affected by these conditions.

Our research involves delineating genetic and epigenetic basis of psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders, elucidating the molecular pathogenesis from genetic/epigenetic leads, characterizing electrophysiological correlates of cognition and behavior, evaluating sleep and circadian rhythm deficits in psychiatric disorders.

We employ interdisciplinary approaches with experts from the fields of psychiatry, neurology, psychology, computer science, biostatistics and genetics to address the research questions pertaining to biological basis of behavior. Through cutting-edge research and collaboration with leading experts in the field, we strive to shed light on the complex mechanisms of psychiatric disorders and pave the way for new and effective treatments. The laboratories was set up as a part of the Centre of Excellence grant from the Government of India.

Research area:

1. Impact of carbonyl stress in synergy with genetic risk for schizophrenia pathogenesis
   (Investigators: Shabeesh Balan, Mubashira V, Anish PK, Rajith Ravindren)
2. Identifying biomarkers for drug-resistant tourette syndrome
   (Investigators: Rajith Ravindren, Shabeesh Balan)
3. Machine learning-based spectral analysis and Latent Content Analysis to identify the semantic content from malayalam language to be used as a potential biomarker for psychosis
   (Investigators: Rajith Ravindren, Shabeesh Balan)
4. Electrophysiological and sleep characterisation in familial somniloquy
   (Investigators: Nishanth JH, Rajith Ravindren, Shibila AM)
5. Genetic correlates of sensory processing deficits in autism spectrum disorders
   (Investigators: Midhun S, Shabeesh Balan)

Research Projects:

Facilities:

The laboratory has a state-of-the-art facility to address research questions to elucidate the pathogenesis of psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders and for advanced clincal diagnosis.

Molecular biology: Sanger sequencer, Thermal cyclers (normal and Realtime), Flouroscent microscope, Plate readers, Basic molecular biology and microbiology facility, Stem cell biology laboratory

Neurophysiology: Video Electroencephalography (EEG), Polysomnography (PSG), Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry (BERA), Visual Evoked Potential (VEP), Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS) and Electromyography (EMG)

Members:

Krishnakumar Padinharath M.D.
Director and Research Investigator
(Professor)
Email

Shabeesh Balan, Ph.D.
Research Investigator
Scientist D (Department of Health Research NRI Faculty Fellow)
IMHANS
Email

Rajith K Ravindren, M.D
Research Investigator
(Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, IMHANS)
Email

Ranjitha M, M.Sc.
Technician – Cytogenetics,
Genetic counselor (Board of Genetic Counseling certfied; Level- 1)
Email

Mubashira V, M.Sc.
Junior Research Fellow
(DHR project) - Molecular Psychiatry
Email

Shibila A. M, D.N.T.
Laboratory Assistant - Neurophysiology
Email

Visiting researchers:

Midhun S, M.D
Visiting Researcher (PhD Scholar)
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry,
Government Medical College, Kozhikode
Email

Nishanth J. H, M.D
Visiting Researcher,
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry,
Government Medical College, Kozhikode
Email

Selected Publications:

1. Nishanth, J. H., Balan, S., Rajith, R.K. (2022) Fluoxetine induced acute urinary retention in a child with depression, The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders (in Press)
2. Rajith, R.K., Krishnakumar, P., Danish, E., Dhanasooraj, D., Ranjitha, M., & Midhun, S. (2022) Serum vitamin D level in patients with schizophrenia: A community-based study, Indian Journal of Medical Research; 10.4103/ijmr.IJMR_3724_20
3. Rajith RK, Krishnakumar P. (2022) Clinical profile of obsessive-compulsive disorder in children. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care; 11(1): 251-255.
4. Balan, S., Iwayama, Y., Ohnishi, T., Fukuda, M., Shirai, A., Yamada, A., Weirich, S., Schuhmacher, M. S., Vijayan, D. K., Endo, T., Hisano, Y., Kotoshiba, K., Toyota, T., Otowa, T., Kuwabara, H., Tochigi, M., Watanabe, A., Ohba, Maekawa, M., Toyoshima, M., Sasaki, T., Nakamura, K., Tsujii, M., Matsuzaki, H., Zhang, K. Y. J., Jeltsch, A., Shinkai, Y., & Yoshikawa, T (2021), A loss of function variant in SUV39H2 identified in autism spectrum disorder causes altered H3K9-trimethylation and dysregulation of protocadherin β cluster genes in the developing brain, Molecular Psychiatry, 10.1038/s41380-021-01199-7
5. Hara, T., Toyoshima, M., Hisano, Y., Balan, S., Iwayama, Y., Aono, H., Futamura, Y., Osada, H., Owada, Y., & Yoshikawa, T. (2021), Glyoxalase I disruption and external carbonyl stress impair mitochondrial function in human induced pluripotent stem cells and derived neurons, Translational Psychiatry, 11, 275
6. Balan, S., Ohnishi, T., Watanabe, A., Ohba, H., Iwayama, Y., Toyoshima, M., Hara, T., Hisano, Y., Miyasaka, Y., Toyota, T., Shimamoto-Mitsuyama, C., Maekawa, M., Numata, S., Ohmori, T., Shimogori, T., Kikkawa, Y., Hayashi, T. & Yoshikawa, T. (2021) Role of an atypical cadherin gene, Cdh23 in prepulse inhibition and implication of CDH23 in schizophrenia, Schizophrenia Bulletin, 47; 4, 1190–1200.

Collaborations:

1. Dr Anish PK, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience
2. Dr Varsha Vidyadharan, Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College Calicut, Kerala
3. Dr Divya MS, Department of Pathology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Kerala
4. Dr Dileep KV, Laboratory for Computational and Structural Biology, Jubilee Mission Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Kerala
5. Dr Neetha Balaram, Department of Neurology, Government Medical College Calicut, Kerala

Diagnostic Services:

1. Karyotyping: Peripheral blood chromosomal analysis for detecting numerical and structural chromosome abnormalities.
2. Mutation Analysis: Genotyping service for genetic variants.
3. Genetic counselling: Genetic counselling services for patients and at-risk individuals.