NEUROFISIOLOGIA

Descrizione dell'attività di ricerca:

- Studio della trasmissione sinaptica, della plasticità sinaptica e della formazione della memoria in età adulta, nell’invecchiamento e in modelli murini di patologie del sistema nervoso

Utilizziamo tecniche elettrofisiologiche per studiare la trasmissione sinaptica e la plasticità sinaptica a breve termine (facilitazione e depressione da stimoli appaiati) e a lungo termine (long-term potentiation, LTP; long-term depression, LTD) in fettine di cervello di ratto e di topo adulto e anziano, e in modelli murini (topi transgenici) di patologie del sistema nervoso. Inoltre collaboriamo con altri gruppi di ricerca per studiare la formazione della memoria negli stessi animali, mediante test comportamentali e indagini morfologiche e molecolari.

- Studio dell'effetto di campi elettromagnetici sulle correnti ioniche neuronali e sulla trasmissione e sulla plasticità sinaptica

Utilizziamo tecniche elettrofisiologiche per studiare l'effetto di campi elettromagnetici su: a) correnti ioniche in neuroni in coltura; b) trasmissione sinaptica e plasticità sinaptica a breve e a lungo termine in fettine di cervello di ratto.

Settori ERC (European Research Council):

LS5_1 Neuroanatomy and neurophysiology

LS5_2 Molecular and cellular neuroscience

LS5_7 Cognition (e.g. learning, memory, emotions, speech)

LS5_11 Neurological disorders (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease)

LS5_12 Psychiatric disorders (e.g. schizophrenia, autism, Tourette’s syndrome, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)

LS1_8 Biophysics (e.g. transport mechanisms, bioenergetics, fluorescence)

Responsabile scientifico/Coordinatore - Giorgio Aicardi (Professore ordinario, Dipartimento QuVi)

Membri del gruppo - Anna Cecilia Berardi (Dottoranda, Dipartimento QuVi)

Produzione scientifica:

Pubblicazioni scientifiche recenti (dal 2008) attinenti alle tematiche di ricerca

• Ren E, Roncacé V, Trazzi S, Fuchs C, Medici G, Gennaccaro L, Loi M, Galvani G, Ye K, Rimondini R, Aicardi G, Ciani E. Functional and Structural Impairments in the Perirhinal Cortex of a Mouse Model of CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder Are Rescued by a TrkB Agonist. Front Cell Neurosci. 2019 Apr 30;13:169.
• Aicardi G. Young Blood Plasma Administration to Fight Alzheimer's Disease? Rejuvenation Res. 2018 Apr;21(2):178-181.
• Roncacé V, Burattini C, Stagni F, Guidi S, Giacomini A, Emili M, Aicardi G, Bartesaghi R. Neuroanatomical alterations and synaptic plasticity impairment in the perirhinal cortex of the Ts65Dn mouse model of Down syndrome. Neurobiol Dis. 2017 Oct;106:89-100.
• Burattini C, Battistini G, Tamagnini F, Aicardi G. Low-frequency stimulation evokes serotonin release in the nucleus accumbens and induces long-term depression via production of endocannabinoid. J Neurophysiol. 2014 Mar;111(5):1046-55.
• Aicardi G. New hope from an old drug: fighting Alzheimer's disease with the cancer drug bexarotene (targretin)? Rejuvenation Res. 2013 Dec;16(6):524-8.
• Aicardi G. Protein kinase Mζ-dependent maintenance of GluA2 at the synapse: a possible target for preventing or treating age-related memory decline? Rejuvenation Res. 2013 Aug;16(4):327-9.
• Gavoçi E, Zironi I, Remondini D, Virelli A, Castellani G, Del Re B, Giorgi G, Aicardi G, Bersani F. ELF magnetic fields tuned to ion parametric resonance conditions do not affect TEA-sensitive voltage-dependent outward K(+) currents in a human neural cell line. Bioelectromagnetics. 2013 Dec;34(8):579-88. doi:
• Tamagnini F, Barker G, Warburton EC, Burattini C, Aicardi G, Bashir ZI. Nitric oxide-dependent long-term depression but not endocannabinoid-mediated long-term potentiation is crucial for visual recognition memory. J Physiol. 2013 Aug 15;591(16):3963-79.
• Muehsam D, Lalezari P, Lekhraj R, Abruzzo PM, Bolotta A, Marini M, Bersani F, Aicardi G, Pilla A, Casper D. Non-thermal radio frequency and static magnetic fields increase rate of hemoglobin deoxygenation in a cell-free preparation. PLoS One. 2013 Apr 12;8(4):e61752.
• Balietti M, Giorgetti B, Casoli T, Solazzi M, Tamagnini F, Burattini C, Aicardi G, Fattoretti P. Early selective vulnerability of synapses and synaptic mitochondria in the hippocampal CA1 region of the Tg2576 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. J Alzheimers Dis. 2013;34(4):887-96.
• Perugini A, Laing M, Berretta N, Aicardi G, Bashir ZI. Synaptic plasticity from amygdala to perirhinal cortex: a possible mechanism for emotional enhancement of visual recognition memory? Eur J Neurosci. 2012 Aug;36(4):2421-7.  
• Balietti M, Tamagnini F, Fattoretti P, Burattini C, Casoli T, Platano D, Lattanzio F, Aicardi G. Impairments of synaptic plasticity in aged animals and in animal models of Alzheimer's disease. Rejuvenation Res. 2012 Apr;15(2):235-8.
• Tamagnini F, Burattini C, Casoli T, Balietti M, Fattoretti P, Aicardi G. Early impairment of long-term depression in the perirhinal cortex of a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Rejuvenation Res. 2012 Apr;15(2):231-4. doi:
• Casoli T, Di Stefano G, Fattoretti P, Giorgetti B, Balietti M, Lattanzio F, Aicardi G, Platano D. Dynamin binding protein gene expression and memory performance in aged rats. Neurobiol Aging. 2012 Mar;33(3):618.e15-9.
• Zironi I, Gaibani P, Remondini D, Salvioli S, Altilia S, Pierini M, Aicardi G, Verondini E, Milanesi L, Bersani F, Gravina S, Roninson IB, Franceschi C, Castellani G. Molecular remodeling of potassium channels in fibroblasts from centenarians: a marker of longevity? Mech Ageing Dev. 2010
• Di Stefano G, Casoli T, Platano D, Fattoretti P, Balietti M, Giorgetti B, Bertoni-Freddari C, Lattanzio F, Aicardi G. Differences in gene expression in the hippocampus of aged rats are associated with better long-term memory performance in a passive avoidance test. Rejuvenation Res. 2010 Apr-Jun;13(2-3):224-8.
• Balietti M, Casoli T, Di Stefano G, Giorgetti B, Aicardi G, Fattoretti P. Ketogenic diets: an historical antiepileptic therapy with promising potentialities for the aging brain. Ageing Res Rev. 2010 Jul;9(3):273-9.
• Balietti M, Giorgetti B, Di Stefano G, Casoli T, Platano D, Solazzi M, Bertoni-Freddari C, Aicardi G, Lattanzio F, Fattoretti P. A ketogenic diet increases succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) activity and recovers age-related decrease in numeric density of SDH-positive mitochondria in cerebellar Purkinje cells of late-adult rats. Micron. 2010 Feb;41(2):143-8.
• Balietti M, Fattoretti P, Giorgetti B, Casoli T, Di Stefano G, Solazzi M, Platano D, Aicardi G, Bertoni-Freddari C. A ketogenic diet increases succinic dehydrogenase activity in aging cardiomyocytes. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009 Aug;1171:377-84.
• Balietti M, Fattoretti P, Giorgetti B, Casoli T, Di Stefano G, Platano D, Aicardi G, Lattanzio F, Bertoni-Freddari C. Effect of two medium chain triglycerides-supplemented diets on synaptic morphology in the cerebellar cortex of late-adult rats. Microsc Res Tech. 2009 Dec;72(12):933-8.
• Balietti M, Giorgetti B, Fattoretti P, Grossi Y, Di Stefano G, Casoli T, Platano D, Solazzi M, Orlando F, Aicardi G, Bertoni-Freddari C. Ketogenic diets cause opposing changes in synaptic morphology in CA1 hippocampus and dentate gyrus of late-adult rats. Rejuvenation Res. 2008 Jun;11(3):631-40.
• Platano D, Fattoretti P, Balietti M, Giorgetti B, Casoli T, Di Stefano G, Bertoni-Freddari C, Aicardi G. Synaptic remodeling in hippocampal CA1 region of aged rats correlates with better memory performance in passive avoidance test. Rejuvenation Res. 2008 Apr;11(2):341-8.
• Platano D, Fattoretti P, Balietti M, Bertoni-Freddari C, Aicardi G. Long-term visual object recognition memory in aged rats. Rejuvenation Res. 2008 Apr;11(2):333-9.