giovedì 28 luglio 2016

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Figure 4. Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride, (TTC) staining of coronal brain slices from a rat submitted to BCCAO and RE (A). TTC staining of coronal brain slices from a rat treated with higher dose malvidin (18 mg/kg b.w.) (B). The lesion in the striatum is outlined by the dashed black line.

Lapi, D.a , Chiurazzi, M.a , Di Maro, M.a , Mastantuono, T.a , Battiloro, L.a , Sabatino, L.b , Ricci, S.c , Di Carlo, A.d , Starita, N.a , Guida, B.a , Santillo, M.a , Colantuoni, A.a 
Malvidin’s effects on rat pial microvascular permeability changes due to hypoperfusion and reperfusion injury
(2016) Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 10 (Jun), art. no. 153, . 
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84977559483&partnerID=40&md5=f9ac5aa6fd6345eac74d296e07d87f54
DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2016.00153
AFFILIATIONS: aDepartment of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy; 
bDepartment of Science and Technology, University of Sannio, Benevento, Italy; 
cDepartment of Translational Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy; 
dDepartment of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
ABSTRACT: The present study was aimed to evaluate the malvidin’s protective effects on damage induced by 30 min bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) and 60 min reperfusion (RE) in rat pial microcirculation. Rat pial microcirculation was observed using fluorescence microscopy through a closed cranial window. Western blotting analysis was performed to investigate the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), phosphorylated eNOS (p-eNOS) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) expression. Moreover, MMP-9 activity was evaluated by zymography. Finally, neuronal damage and radical oxygen species (ROS) formation were assessed. In all animals, pial arterioles were classified in five orders of branching according to Strahler’s method. In hypoperfused rats, 30 min BCCAO and 60 min RE caused a decrease in arteriolar diameter, an increase in microvascular leakage and leukocyte adhesion, accompanied by decreased capillary perfusion and red blood cell velocity (VRBC). Moreover, marked neuronal damage and evident ROS generation were detected. Conversely, malvidin administration induced arteriolar dilation in dose-related manner, reducing microvascular leakage as well as leukocyte adhesion. Capillary perfusion and VRBC were protected. Nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibition significantly attenuated malvidin’s effects on arteriolar diameter. Western blotting analysis revealed an increase in eNOS and p-eNOS expression, while zymography indicated a decrease in MMP-9 activity after malvidin’s administration. Furthermore, malvidin was able to prevent neuronal damage and to decrease ROS generation. In conclusion, malvidin protects rat pial microcirculation against BCCAO/RE injury, preventing blood-brain impairment and neuronal loss. Malvidin’s effects appear to be mediated by eNOS activation and scavenger activity. © 2016 Lapi, Chiurazzi, Di Maro, Mastantuono, Battiloro, Sabatino, Ricci, Di Carlo, Starita, Guida, Santillo and Colantuoni.
AUTHOR KEYWORDS: Bilateral common carotid artery occlusion;  Endothelial nitric oxide synthase;  Malvidin;  Metalloproteinases;  Pial microcirculation;  Radical oxygen species;  Reperfusion;  Zymography

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Pagliano, P.a , Ascione, T.a , Boccia, G.b , De Caro, F.b , Esposito, S.c 
Listeria monocytogenes meningitis in the elderly: Epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic findings
(2016) Infezioni in Medicina, 24 (2), pp. 105-111. 
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84977545426&partnerID=40&md5=8ecf65975e6a899966891cf2f5b3ecb4

AFFILIATIONS: aAORN dei Colli, D. Cotugno Hospital, Department of Infectious Diseases, Naples, Italy; 
bInstitute of Hygiene, University of Salerno, Italy; 
cDepartment of Infectious Diseases, University of Salerno, Italy
ABSTRACT: Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive bacillus and facultative intracellular bacterium whose transmission occurs mainly through the consumption of contaminated food, L. monocytogenes invades the host cells using various protein and can escape to the human T-cell immune system by cell-to-cell spreading. If the infection is not controlled at the stage in which the bacterium is in the liver, for instance, due to a severe immunodepression, a secondary bacteraemia can be developed and L. monocytogenes reaches the preferred sites transgressing the blood-brain barrier or the placental barrier. Individuals with T-cell dysfunction, such as pregnant women, the elderly, and those receiving immunosuppressive therapy are at the highest risk of contracting the disease. Average life expectancy throughout developed countries has rapidly increased during the latter half of the 20th century and geriatric infectious diseases have become an increasingly important issue. L. monocytogenes meningitis in young previously healthy adults has been reported only in anecdotal observations. Differently, L. monocytogenes is the third most common cause of bacterial meningitis in the elderly population, after Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis. Patients with L. monocytogenes meningitis presented with signs and symptoms that were similar to thoseof the general population with community-acquired bacterial meningitis, but reported a longer prodromal phase. According to literature data, the prevalence of the classic triad of fever, neck stiffness, and altered mental status is 43%, and almost all patients present with at least 2 of the 4 classic symptoms of headache, fever, neck stiffness, and altered mental status. On the basis of our published data, in patients aged over 50 years, diagnosing L. monocytogenes meningitis was more challenging than pneumococcal meningitis, as demonstrated by the lower percentage of cases receiving a correct diagnosis within 48 hours from the onset of symptoms. No significant difference was observed in respect to the presenting symptoms, but progression to respiratory failure was not as rapid as pneumococcal meningitis. Findings of cerebrospinal-fluid (CSF) analysis demonstrated higher glucose concentration and a less evident neutrophil prevalence in patients with L. monocytogenes meningitis. Meningitis sustained by L. monocytogenes is reported with a higher frequency in elderly, clinical findings cannot support a presumptive diagnosis, but findings of CSF analysis have to be considered. © 2016, EDIMES Edizioni Medico Scientifiche. All rights reserved.
AUTHOR KEYWORDS: Diagnosis;  Elderly;  Listeria monocytogenes;  Meningitis;  Streptococcus pneumoniae

lunedì 18 luglio 2016

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Hay Mele, B.a , Citro, V.b , Andreotti, G.c , Cubellis, M.V.b 
Drug repositioning can accelerate discovery of pharmacological chaperones
(2015) Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases, 10 (1), art. no. 10, . 
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84976402620&partnerID=40&md5=3516171793496d8f0d57eb789fc7165f

DOI: 10.1186/s13023-015-0273-2
AFFILIATIONS: aDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University Federico II, Naples, Italy; 
bDepartment of Biology, University Federico II, Naples, Italy; 
Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare -CNR, Pozzuoli, Italy
ABSTRACT: A promising strategy for the treatment of genetic diseases, pharmacological chaperone therapy, has been proposed recently. It exploits small molecules which can be administered orally, reach difficult tissues such as the brain and have low cost. This strategy has a vast field of application. In order to make drug development as fast as possible, it is important to exploit drug repositioning. We evaluated the impact and limitations of this approach for rare diseases and we provide a shortcut in finding drugs for off-target usage. © 2015 Hay Mele et al.; licensee BioMed Central.
AUTHOR KEYWORDS: Drug repositioning;  Pharmacological chaperone
DOCUMENT TYPE: Article

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D'andrea, A.a , Conte, M.a , Scarafile, R.a , Riegler, L.a , Cocchia, R.a , Pezzullo, E.a , Cavallaro, M.a , Carbone, A.a , Natale, F.a , Russo, M.G.a , Gregorio, G.b , Calabrò, R.a 
Transcranial Doppler ultrasound: Physical principles and principal applications in Neurocritical care unit
(2016) Journal of Cardiovascular Echography, 26 (2), pp. 28-41. 
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84976463425&partnerID=40&md5=8af1a183c6f7947e63690d95177481a1

DOI: 10.4103/2211-4122.183746
AFFILIATIONS: aDepartment of Cardiology, Integrated Diagnostic Cardiology, Second University of Neaples, Monaldi Hospital, Via M. Schipa 44, Naples, Italy; 
bDepartment of Cardiology, San Luca Hospital, Vallo della Lucania, Salerno, Italy
ABSTRACT: Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography is a noninvasive ultrasound study, which has been extensively applied on both outpatient and inpatient settings. It involves the use of a low-frequency (≤2 MHz) transducer, placed on the scalp, to insonate the basal cerebral arteries through relatively thin bone windows and to measure the cerebral blood flow velocity and its alteration in many different conditions. In neurointensive care setting, TCD is useful for both adults and children for day-to-day bedside assessment of critical conditions including vasospasm in subarachnoid hemorrhage, traumatic brain injury, acute ischemic stroke, and brain stem death. It also allows to investigate the cerebrovascular autoregulation in setting of carotid disease and syncope. In this review, we will describe physical principles underlying TCD, flow indices most frequently used in clinical practice and critical care applications in Neurocritical Unit care. © 2016 Journal of Cardiovascular Echography Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow 27.
AUTHOR KEYWORDS: Brain stem death;  cryptogenic stroke;  mean cerebral brain flow;  Neurocritical Unit Care;  paradoxical embolism;  patent foramen ovale;  subarachnoid hemorrhage;  transcranial Doppler ultrasonography;  traumatic brain injury;  vasospasm
DOCUMENT TYPE: Review

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Trojano, L.a  b , Gainotti, G.c  d 
Drawing Disorders in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Forms of Dementia
(2016) Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 53 (1), art. no. JAD160009, pp. 31-52. 
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84976439986&partnerID=40&md5=f65537681d8ac1946bf40f5826294096

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-160009
AFFILIATIONS: aDepartment of Psychology, Second University of Naples, Viale Ellittico 31, Caserta, Italy; 
bS. Maugeri Foundation, Scientific Institute of Telese Terme (BN), Italy; 
cCenter for Neuropsychological Research, Institute of Neurology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy; 
IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, Rome, Italy
ABSTRACT: Drawing is a multicomponential process that can be impaired by many kinds of brain lesions. Drawing disorders are very common in Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, and can provide clinical information for the distinction of the different dementing diseases. In our review we started from an overview of the neural and cognitive bases of drawing, and from a recollection of the drawing tasks more frequently used for assessing individuals with dementia. Then, we analyzed drawing disorders in dementia, paying special attention to those observed in Alzheimer's disease, from the prodromal stages of the amnesic mild cognitive impairment to the stages of full-blown dementia, both in the sporadic forms with late onset in the entorhino-hippocampal structures and in those with early onset in the posterior neocortical structures. We reviewed the drawing features that could differentiate Alzheimer's disease from vascular dementia and from the most frequent forms of degenerative dementia, namely frontotemporal dementia and Lewy body disease. Finally, we examined some peculiar aspects of drawing disorders in dementia, such as perseverations, rotations, and closing-in. We argue that a careful analysis of drawing errors helps to differentiate the different forms of dementia more than overall accuracy in drawing.
AUTHOR KEYWORDS: Alzheimer's disease;  constructional apraxia;  drawing disorders;  frontotemporal dementia;  Lewy body disease;  vascular dementia
DOCUMENT TYPE: Review

mercoledì 13 luglio 2016

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Cacialli, P.a  b , Gueguen, M.-M.a , Coumailleau, P.a , D'angelo, L.b , Kah, O.a , Lucini, C.b , Pellegrini, E.a 
BDNF Expression in larval and adult zebrafish brain: Distribution and cell identification
(2016) PLoS ONE, 11 (6), art. no. e0158057, . 
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84976593150&partnerID=40&md5=812566407e176c1a71153ebc7c408b83
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158057 AFFILIATIONS: INSERM U1085, aEnvironment and Occupation Research Institute in Health (IRSET), University of Rennes 1, Rennes, France; bDepartment of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy ABSTRACT: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophin family, has emerged as an active mediator in many essential functions in the central nervous system of mammals. BDNF plays significant roles in neurogenesis, neuronal maturation and/or synaptic plasticity and is involved in cognitive functions such as learning and memory. Despite the vast literature present in mammals, studies devoted to BDNF in the brain of other animal models are scarse. Zebrafish is a teleost fish widely known for developmental genetic studies and is emerging as model for translational neuroscience research. In addition, its brain shows many sites of adult neurogenesis allowing higher regenerative properties after traumatic injuries. To add further knowledge on neurotrophic factors in vertebrate brain models, we decided to determine the distribution of bdnf mRNAs in the larval and adult zebrafish brain and to characterize the phenotype of cells expressing bdnf mRNAs by means of double staining studies. Our results showed that bdnf mRNAs were widely expressed in the brain of 7 days old larvae and throughout the whole brain of mature female and male zebrafish. In adults, bdnf mRNAs were mainly observed in the dorsal telencephalon, preoptic area, dorsal thalamus, posterior tuberculum, hypothalamus, synencephalon, optic tectum and medulla oblongata. By combining immunohistochemistry with in situ hybridization, we showed that bdnf mRNAs were never expressed by radial glial cells or proliferating cells. By contrast, bdnf transcripts were expressed in cells with neuronal phenotype in all brain regions investigated. Our results provide the first demonstration that the brain of zebrafish expresses bdnf mRNAs in neurons and open new fields of research on the role of the BDNF factor in brain mechanisms in normal and brain repairs situations. © 2016 Cacialli et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author

lunedì 11 luglio 2016

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Colombatti, R.a , Lucchetta, M.b , Montanaro, M.a , Rampazzo, P.b , Ermani, M.b , Talenti, G.b , Baracchini, C.b , Favero, A.b , Basso, G.a , Manara, R.c , Sainati, L.a
Cognition and the default mode network in children with sickle cell disease: A resting state functional MRI study (2016) PLoS ONE, 11 (6), art. no. e0157090, . https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84975491816&partnerID=40&md5=c2fcf8192933b3c7c71a01fda13bec81 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157090 AFFILIATIONS: aClinic of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Child and Maternal Health, Azienda Ospedaliera-University of Padova, Padova, Italy; bDepartment of Neurosciences, Azienda Ospedaliera-University of Padova, Padova, Italy; cDepartment of Neurosciences, Neuroradiology Unit, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy ABSTRACT: Cerebrovascular complications are frequent events in children with sickle cell disease, yet routinely used techniques such as Transcranial Doppler (TCD), Magnetic Resonance (MRI) and Angiography (MRA), insufficiently explain the cause of poor cognitive performances. Forty children with SS-Sβ° (mean age 8 years) underwent neurocognitive evaluation and comprehensive brain imaging assessment with TCD, MRI, MRA, Resting State (RS) Functional MRI with evaluation of the Default Mode Network (DMN). Sixteen healthy age-matched controls underwent MRI, MRA and RS functional MRI.Children with SCD display increased brain connectivity in the DMN even in the absence of alterations in standard imaging techniques. Patients with low neurocognitive scores presented higher brain connectivity compared to children without cognitive impairment or controls, suggesting an initial compensatory mechanism to maintain performances. In our cohort steady state haemoglobin level was not related to increased brain connectivity, but SatO2<97% was. Our findings provide novel evidence that SCD is characterized by a selective disruption of connectivity among relevant regions of the brain, potentially leading to reduced cognition and altered functional brain dynamics. RS functional MRI could be used as a useful tool to evaluate cognition and cerebral damage in SCD in longitudinal trials. © 2016 Colombatti et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. DOCUMENT TYPE: Article

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Panichelli, P.a , Villano, C.b , Cistaro, A.c , Bruno, A.d , Barbato, F.e , Piccardo, A.f , Duatti, A.g 
Imaging of Brain Tumors with Copper-64 Chloride: Early Experience and Results
(2016) Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals, 31 (5), pp. 159-167. 
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84975514117&partnerID=40&md5=07c9615e61dd4bfd0610b8cd634090e4
DOI: 10.1089/cbr.2016.2028
AFFILIATIONS: aAdvanced Center of Oncology, ACOM, Macerata, Italy; 
bHospital ''santo Spirito'', Pescara, Italy; 
cPositron Emission Tomography Centre, IRMET, Affidea, Turin, Italy; 
dASST ''papa Giovanni XXIII'', Bergamo, Italy; 
eCMO Center, Naples, Italy; 
fOspedali Galliera, Genoa, Italy; 
Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, via L. Borsari, 46, Ferrara, Italy
ABSTRACT: Objectives: To conduct the first investigational study that is aimed at evaluating the ability of the simple salt 64CuCl2 to diagnose cerebral tumors in patients affected by glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Methods: Nineteen patients with a documented history and radiologic evidence of brain tumors were enrolled in the study. Eighteen patients were diagnosed with GBM, and one patient was diagnosed with grade II astrocytoma. After initial cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), patients were administered with 64CuCl2 (13 MBq/kg) and brain positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) imaging was performed at 1, 3, and 24 hours after administration. Standardized uptake values (SUVs) were calculated and used to figure out the pharmacokinetic profile of the tracer. Absorbed radiation doses were estimated using OLINDA/EXM. Results: Copper-64 chloride clearly visualized brain cancerous lesions within 1 hour after injection, with stable retention of radioactivity at 3 and 24 hours. Excellent agreement was found between PET/CT and MRI. No uptake of the tracer was observed in low-grade astrocytoma. The agent cleared rapidly from the blood and was mostly excreted through the liver, without significant kidney washout. Analysis of time variation of SUVmax values showed persistent uptake in malignant tissues with a slight increase of radioactive concentration at 24 hours. Conclusions: Copper-64 chloride has favorable biological properties for brain imaging and warrants further investigation as a diagnostic tracer for GBM. © Copyright 2016, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2016.
AUTHOR KEYWORDS: brain tumors;  copper-64;  copper-64 chloride;  glioblastoma multiforme;  neuroimaging;  PET imaging
DOCUMENT TYPE: Article

lunedì 4 luglio 2016

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Lacivita, E.a , Podlewska, S.b  c , Speranza, L.d , Niso, M.a , Satała, G.b , Perrone, R.a , Perrone-Capano, C.d  e , Bojarski, A.J.b , Leopoldo, M.a 
Structural modifications of the serotonin 5-HT7 receptor agonist N -(4-cyanophenylmethyl)-4-(2-biphenyl)-1-piperazinehexanamide (LP-211) to improve in vitro microsomal stability: A case study
(2016) European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 120, pp. 363-379. 
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84975089770&partnerID=40&md5=4f646afafdadd3a300ef5daa18e8fc32

DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2016.05.005
AFFILIATIONS: aDipartimento di Farmacia - Scienze Del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Bari 'A. Moro', via Orabona, 4, Bari, Italy; 
bDepartment of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smetna 12, Kraków, Poland; 
cFaculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 3, Kraków, Poland; 
dInstitute of Genetics and Biophysics 'Adriano Buzzati Traverso', CNR, Via P. Castellino 111, Naples, Italy; 
eDepartment of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, Naples, Italy
ABSTRACT: The 5-HT7 serotonin receptor is revealing a promising target for innovative therapeutic strategies of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, we report the synthesis of thirty long-chain arylpiperazine analogs of the selective and brain penetrant 5-HT7 receptor agonist LP-211 (1) designed to enhance stability towards microsomal oxidative metabolism. Commonly used medicinal chemistry strategies were used (i.e., reduction of overall lipophilicity, introduction of electron-withdrawing groups, blocking of potential vulnerable sites of metabolism), and in vitro microsomal stability was tested. The data showed that the adopted design strategy does not directly translate into improvements in stability. Instead, the metabolic stability of the compounds was related to the presence of specific substituents in well-defined regions of the molecule. The collected data allowed for the construction of a machine learning model that, in a given chemical space, is able to describe and quantitatively predict the metabolic stability of the compounds. The majority of the synthesized compounds maintained high affinity for 5-HT7 receptors and showed selectivity towards 5-HT6 and dopamine D2 receptors and different selectivity for 5-HT1A and α1 adrenergic receptors. Compound 50 showed 3-fold higher in vitro stability towards oxidative metabolism than 1 and was able to stimulate neurite outgrowth in neuronal primary cultures through the 5-HT7 receptor in a shorter time and at a lower concentration than the agonist 1. A preliminary disposition study in mice revealed that compound 50 was metabolically stable and was able to pass the blood-brain barrier, thus representing a new tool for studying the pharmacotherapeutic potential of 5-HT7 receptor in vivo. © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
AUTHOR KEYWORDS: 5-HT7 receptor;  Arylpiperazine;  Machine learning;  Microsomal stability;  Neurite outgrowth
DOCUMENT TYPE: Article

venerdì 1 luglio 2016

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Tomassini, V.a  b  c , d'Ambrosio, A.a  b  d , Petsas, N.e , Wise, R.G.b , Sbardella, E.e , Allen, M.b , Tona, F.e , Fanelli, F.e , Foster, C.b , Carnì, M.e , Gallo, A.d , Pantano, P.e  f , Pozzilli, C.e 
The effect of inflammation and its reduction on brain plasticity in multiple sclerosis: MRI evidence
(2016) Human Brain Mapping, 37 (7), pp. 2431-2445. 
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84974660130&partnerID=40&md5=0fe8594d52757ad2f15bc5cd4d229757

DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23184
AFFILIATIONS: aInstitute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University School of Medicine, United Kingdom; 
bCardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University School of Psychology, United Kingdom; 
cIRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy; 
dDepartment of Medical, Surgical, Neurological, Metabolic and Aging Sciences, Second University of Naples, Italy; 
eDepartment of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; 
fIRCCS NeuroMed, Pozzilli, IS, Iceland
ABSTRACT: Brain plasticity is the basis for systems-level functional reorganization that promotes recovery in multiple sclerosis (MS). As inflammation interferes with plasticity, its pharmacological modulation may restore plasticity by promoting desired patterns of functional reorganization. Here, we tested the hypothesis that brain plasticity probed by a visuomotor adaptation task is impaired with MS inflammation and that pharmacological reduction of inflammation facilitates its restoration. MS patients were assessed twice before (sessions 1 and 2) and once after (session 3) the beginning of Interferon beta (IFN beta), using behavioural and structural MRI measures. During each session, 2 functional MRI runs of a visuomotor task, separated by 25-minutes of task practice, were performed. Within-session between-run change in task-related functional signal was our imaging marker of plasticity. During session 1, patients were compared with healthy controls. Comparison of patients' sessions 2 and 3 tested the effect of reduced inflammation on our imaging marker of plasticity. The proportion of patients with gadolinium-enhancing lesions reduced significantly during IFN beta. In session 1, patients demonstrated a greater between-run difference in functional MRI activity of secondary visual areas and cerebellum than controls. This abnormally large practice-induced signal change in visual areas, and in functionally connected posterior parietal and motor cortices, was reduced in patients in session 3 compared with 2. Our results suggest that MS inflammation alters short-term plasticity underlying motor practice. Reduction of inflammation with IFN beta is associated with a restoration of this plasticity, suggesting that modulation of inflammation may enhance recovery-oriented strategies that rely on patients' brain plasticity. Hum Brain Mapp 37:2431–2445, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
AUTHOR KEYWORDS: brain plasticity;  functional MRI;  inflammation;  interferon beta;  multiple sclerosis
DOCUMENT TYPE: Article