Upon entering the body, the tetanus toxin travels through the bloodstream and binds to peripheral nerve terminals. It is then transported retrogradely along the axons to the central nervous system. In the spinal cord, the toxin targets inhibitory interneurons and cleaves a protein called synaptobrevin, which is essential for the release of inhibitory neurotransmitters such as GABA and glycine. This inhibition leads to uncontrolled muscle contractions and spasms.
