A5025648351- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Vagus Nerve Stimulation Research
- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
- Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Nerve injury and regeneration
- Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling
- Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
- Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Ion channel regulation and function
- Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study
- Tryptophan and brain disorders
- Adenosine and Purinergic Signaling
- Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Neurological disorders and treatments
- GABA and Rice Research
- Vestibular and auditory disorders
- Pharmacological Receptor Mechanisms and Effects
- Epilepsy research and treatment
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies
- Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
- Neonatal and fetal brain pathology
- Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques
University of Cagliari
2016-2025
Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Cagliari
2002-2024
Neuroscience Institute
2003
Scripps Research Institute
2002
National Research Council
2002
Georgetown University
1993-1998
University of Rome Tor Vergata
1998
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
1995-1996
The University of Texas System
1996
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
1995-1996
The relation between changes in brain and plasma concentrations of neurosteroids the function structure γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA ) receptors during pregnancy after delivery was investigated rats. In contrast with plasma, where all steroids increased parallel, kinetics cerebrocortical progesterone, allopregnanolone (AP), allotetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (THDOC) diverged pregnancy. Progesterone already maximally days 10 15, whereas AP peaked around day 19. stimulatory effect muscimol...
The rising global focus on healthy lifestyles and environmental sustainability has prompted interest in repurposing plant-based by-products for health benefits. With increasing life expectancy, the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases—characterized by complex, multifactorial mechanisms such as abnormal protein aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation—continues to grow. Medicinal plants, with their diverse bioactive compounds, offer promising therapeutic...
The effect of long‐term treatment with ethanol was investigated on the function γ ‐aminobutyric acid A (GABA ) and N ‐methyl‐d‐as‐partic (NMDA) receptors. Rats were rendered ethanol‐dependent by repeated forced administration a 20% solution (12 to 18 g/kg/day po) for 6 days tested while still intoxicated or at different time intervals after withdrawal. t ‐[ 36 S]Butylbicyclophosphorothionate ( 35 S‐TBPS) binding increased 30% in cortical homogenates rats killed 1 3 hr last administration,...
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is used to treat pharmacotherapy-resistant epilepsy and depression. However, the mechanisms underlying therapeutic efficacy of VNS remain unclear. We examined effects on hippocampal neuronal plasticity behaviour in rats. Cell proliferation hippocampus rats subjected acute (3 h) or chronic (1 month) was by injection bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) immunohistochemistry. Expression doublecortin (DCX) brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) evaluated immunofluorescence...
The goal of this study was to determine whether chronic ethanol-mediated up-regulation the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAR) associated with an augmentation NMDAR polypeptide subunits in mammalian cortical neurons. results show that ethanol treatment produced increase R1 and R2B subunits. R2A subunit not expressed these Chronic antagonist ((+)-3-2-(carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP)) also increased A similar observed when CPP were used combination. Binding studies...
Evidence has accumulated to suggest that the NMDA glutamate receptor subtype plays an important role in neuronal degeneration evoked by hypoxia, ischemia, or trauma. Cerebellar granule cells culture are vulnerable NMDA-induced excitotoxicity. In these cells, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and basic fibroblast growth (FGF2) prevent excitotoxic effect of NMDA. However, little is known about molecular mechanisms underlying protective properties trophic factors. Using cultured rat...
Changes in the expression of subunits GABA type A (GABA<sub>A</sub>) receptor are implicated development ethanol tolerance and dependence as well central hyperexcitability associated with withdrawal. The impact such changes on GABA<sub>A</sub> function pharmacological sensitivity was investigated cultured rat hippocampal neurons exposed to for 5 d then subjected Both treatment withdrawal were a marked decrease maximal density GABA-evoked Cl<sup>-</sup> currents, whereas potency unaffected....
We examined the possibility of changes in gene expression NMDA receptor subunits after chronic antagonist treatment. Exposure neurons to D(-)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (AP-5) produced an increase levels R2B mRNA subunit. Concomitant exposure AP-5 and reversed upregulation. Chronic treatment increased R1 polypeptide, whereas no change was observed encoding A more pronounced R2A/B polypeptides. These data demonstrate that with antagonists selectively upregulates mRNAs Furthermore, a...
Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and nerve (NGF) are two neurotrophic factors that play a role in neuronal maintenance repair. The identification characterization of mechanisms regulating availability the central nervous system vital to development therapeutic tools for prevention degeneration. lipophilic beta-adrenergic receptor (BAR) agonist clenbuterol was used assess whether activation BAR changes levels NGF bFGF mRNA. Within 5 hr, (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) elicited 2-3-fold...
The green synthesis of silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs), as well Ag/Ag2O/ZnO nanocomposites (NCs), using polar apolar extracts Chlorella vulgaris, offers a sustainable method for producing nanomaterials with tunable properties. impact the environment nanomaterials’ characteristics on cytotoxicity was evaluated by examining reactive species production their effects mitochondrial bioenergetic functions. Cytotoxicity assays PC12 cells, cell line originated from rat...
Abstract The abundance of γ‐aminobutyric acid receptor type A (GABA receptor) subunit mRNAs and polypeptides as well muscimol‐stimulated 36 Cl – uptake were measured in rat cerebral cortex or hippocampus at various times during pregnancy after delivery. RNase protection assays revealed that the amount γ2L mRNA decreased progressively pregnancy, hippocampus, then returned to control values around time similar pattern was observed for α5 cortex, whereas no significant changes apparent α1, α2,...
Among the manifold effects of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) delivered as an add-on treatment to patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, a moderate loss body weight has been observed in some individuals. We have now investigated this effect rats. Exposure rats VNS for 4 weeks reduced feed conversion efficiency well gain (by ∼25%) and amount mesenteric adipose tissue ∼45%) comparison those sham-operated control animals. A pair-fed experiment showed that both lower dietary intake increase energy...