Neurobiology and Integrated Physiology Laboratory

Neurobiologia e Fisiologia Integrata

Referent: Prof. Paola Rossi

Co-workers: Elisa Roda, Daniela Ratto, Maria Teresa Venuti

The Laboratory of Neurobiology and Integrated Physiology uses electrophysiological techniques for the in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo study of Central Nervous System preparations, behavioral tests on a preclinical model and immunocytochemical and immunohistochemical techniques. A cell culture laboratory is also active.

(i) Study of the effects of oral supplementation with the medicinal mushroom Hericium erinaceus (Lion's mane) on neurogenesis and cognitive functions in wild-type mice.

Hericium (Bull.) Pers. Is a medicinal mushroom capable of modulating the immune system and improving cognitive functions in humans. Over the last 10 years numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have been conducted to investigate its effects after oral administration. On humans, in particular, the data in the scientific literature describe a neuroprotective effect on stroke and effects of partial cognitive recovery in neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia and Alzheimer's. In a mouse model of mice pharmacologically induced to the development of Alzheimer's, dietary supplementation with H. erinaceus prevents impairment of short-term spatial memory and visual recognition memory. There are no literature data relating to wild-type animals. This line of research studies the effects of oral administration of the mycotherapy in wild-type mice. Two aspects are addressed in particular: the ability to improve some cognitive performance related to memory and the effects on neurogenesis at the hippocampal level. Patch-clamp methods in hippocampal slices and in vivo animal behavior studies are used.

Referent: Prof. P. Rossi
Collaborations: 

  • F. Brandalise, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich;
  • A. Gregori, MycoMedica d.o.o., Kranjska Gora, Slovenia;
  • G. Orrù, Dip. Scienze Chirurgiche, Università di Cagliari;
  • M.L. Guglielminetti, M.Rodolfi ed E. Savino, Dip. della Terra e dell’Ambiente, UNIPV.

 

(ii) Type 3 diabetes: Alzheimer's 

Nutritional Neuroscience is a new field of nutrition that deals with the study of the effects of bioactive components present in food on the CNS. In the laboratory, the effect of chronic peripheral hyperglycemia (diabetes) at the CNS level is studied. Recent studies show in animal models that a low glycemic index diet exerts neuroprotective effects, on the risk / prevention and on the progression of some neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's, in which a component of metabolic origin is recognized, and therefore considered a type III diabetes (for a review, Shieh et al. 2020, doi: 10.1007 / s12035-019-01858-5). The Laboratory has long developed functional tests in vivo, on animal models, to test, after oral supplementation, the effects of substances on explicit declarative memory, a cognitive component of particular importance in the cognitive decline of Alzheimer's disease. This research project aims to study the mechanisms of action underlying the relationship between glycemia, insulin resistance and cognitive impairment.

 

(iii) Study of the membrane currents involved in the metastasis process of human glioblastoma. 

This line of research makes use of the patch-clamp technique integrated with the wound-healing assay technique and of the time lapse microscopy for the understanding of the membrane mechanisms involved in the ability to metastasize of the IV degree glioblstoma multiforme. The Neurobiology and Integrated Physiology laboratory has been characterizing the inward rectifier Kir4.1 currents and the BK currents involved in this process for years (Ratto et al. 2019; Brandalise et al. 2020). The study of these mechanisms could lead to the development of new therapies that target voltage-gated ion channels.