A5049642306- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Lysosomal Storage Disorders Research
- Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Birth, Development, and Health
- Autoimmune Neurological Disorders and Treatments
- Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
- Fatty Acid Research and Health
- Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
- Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Vestibular and auditory disorders
- Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
- Diet and metabolism studies
- Cellular transport and secretion
- Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
- Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
- Anesthesia and Neurotoxicity Research
- Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Moyamoya disease diagnosis and treatment
- Genetic Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Cholinesterase and Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Carbohydrate Chemistry and Synthesis
Sapienza University of Rome
2014-2019
Fondazione Santa Lucia
2012-2018
Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico
2013
Systemic inflammation might cause neuronal damage and sustain neurodegenerative diseases behavior impairment, with the participation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, like tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α interleukin (IL)-18. However, potential contribution these cytokines to behavioral impairment in long-term period has not been fully investigated.Wistar rats were treated a single intraperitoneal injection LPS (5 mg/kg) or vehicle. After 7 days 10 months, animal was evaluated by testing specific...
As major components of neuronal membranes, omega-3 polyunsaturated acids (n-3 PUFA) exhibit a wide range regulatory functions, modulating from synaptic plasticity to neuroinflammation, oxidative stress neuroprotection. Recent human and animal studies indicated the n-3 PUFA neuroprotective properties in aging, with clear negative correlation between levels hippocampal deficits. The present multidimensional study was aimed at associating cognition, neurogenesis, volume, neurodegeneration...
Human and experimental studies have revealed putative neuroprotective pro-cognitive effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) in aging, evidencing positive correlations between peripheral n-3 PUFA levels regional grey matter (GM) volume, as well negative dietary cognitive deficits. We recently showed that supplemented aged mice exhibit better hippocampal-dependent mnesic functions, along with enhanced cellular plasticity reduced neurodegeneration, thus supporting a role...
Intraparenchymal injections of the immunotoxin 192-IgG-saporin into medial septum and nucleus basalis magnocellularis causes a selective depletion basal forebrain cholinergic neurons. Thus, it represents valid model to mimic key component cognitive deficits associated with aging dementia. Here we administered donepezil, potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitor developed for treating Alzheimer's disease, 15 days before injection, thus examined donepezil effects on neurodegeneration...
Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) is a rare autoimmune movement disorder characterized by the presence of autoantibodies specific to smaller isoform glutamate decarboxylase (GAD65). A pathological role these antibodies has been suggested their capacity inhibit GAD65 enzyme activity and observation that rats receiving cerebellar injections GAD65Ab showed motor hyperexcitability. To assess effect epitope-specific on cognitive functions, we conducted behavioral experiments in received with two...
Environmental enrichment is usually applied immediately after weaning or in adulthood, with strong effects on CNS anatomy and behavior. To examine the hypothesis that a pre-reproductive environmental of females could affect motor development their offspring, female rats were reared an enriched environment from to sexual maturity, while other used as controls under standard conditions. Following mating standard-reared males, all housed individually. evaluate eventual transgenerational...
Environmental enrichment (EE) is a widely used paradigm for investigating the influence of complex stimulations on brain and behavior. Here we examined whether pre-reproductive exposure to EE female rats may their maternal care offspring cognitive performances. To this aim, from weaning breeding age enriched females (EF) were reared in environments. Females standard conditions as controls. At 2.5 months all mated with offspring. Maternal behaviors nesting activity assessed lactating dams....
Abstract Niemann-Pick Type C1 disorder (NPC) is a rare lysosomal storage disease characterized by the accumulation of cholesterol in lysosomes. NPC has no FDA approved treatments yet, however 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) shown efficacy for treating both mouse and feline models currently being investigated late stage clinical trials. Despite promising results, therapeutic use HPβCD limited need high doses, ototoxicity intrathecal administration. These limitations can be attributed...
Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1) disease is a lysosomal storage disorder caused by defective intracellular trafficking of exogenous cholesterol. Purkinje cell (PC) degeneration the main sign cerebellar dysfunction in both NPC1 patients and animal models. It has been recently shown that significant decrease Sonic hedgehog (Shh) expression reduces proliferative potential granule neuron precursors developing cerebellum Npc1 −/− mice. Pursuing hypothesis this developmental defect translates into...
Environmental enrichment (EE) is an experimental setting broadly used for investigating the effects of complex social, cognitive, and sensorimotor stimulations on brain structure function. Recent studies point out that parental EE experience, even occurring in pre-reproductive phase, affects neural development behavioral trajectories offspring. In present study we investigated influences female rats maternal behavior adolescent male offspring's coping response to inescapable stressful...
Pre-reproductive environmental enrichment of female rats influences sensorimotor development and spatial behavior the offspring, possibly through changed maternal nurturing. Nevertheless, care could be not solely responsible for changing offspring developmental trajectories. To disentangle specific contribution to transgenerational inheritance pre- post-natal factors, a cross-fostering study was performed. Female were reared in an enriched environment from weaning sexual maturity, while...