Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tongchao Li, Tian-Ming Fu, Kenneth Kin Lam Wong, Hongjie Li, Qijing Xie, David J. Luginbuhl, Mark J. Wagner, Eric Betzig, Liqun Luo
Summary: The study investigates the dynamic cellular processes by which olfactory receptor neurons target axons to specific glomeruli in the olfactory circuit of Drosophila. Through time-lapse imaging and fast imaging techniques, the researchers identified the mechanisms involved in ipsilateral targeting and revealed the dynamics of axon branching upon approaching the target. These observations provide insights into the cellular basis of wiring specificity establishment.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kalpana Jain, Sofia Lavista-Llanos, Veit Grabe, Bill S. Hansson, Dieter Wicher
Summary: The point mutation K339N in the Orco protein of fruit flies was found to reduce olfactory responses and impair odor localization performance. The mutation also eliminated the sensitization of olfactory sensory neurons to repeated weak odor stimuli.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Jonathan R. Roth, Ruan Carlos Macedo de Moraes, Brittney P. Xu, Savannah R. Crawley, Malghalara A. Khan, Girish C. Melkani
Summary: In this study, the role of neuronal mutant huntingtin in Huntington's disease was investigated. The results showed that mutant huntingtin caused age-dependent aggregation in the brain and a loss of synapsin, leading to a decrease in locomotor performance. Additionally, it was found that rapamycin reduced mutant huntingtin aggregation in the brain.
FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Francisco Jose Sanz, Cristina Solana-Manrique, Josema Torres, Esther Masia, Maria J. Vicent, Nuria Paricio
Summary: The standard therapy for Parkinson's disease is dopamine replacement, which only treats the symptoms of the disease. Through the use of DJ-1 beta mutant flies, researchers identified zaprinast from a chemical library as a potential therapeutic for PD, as it displayed significant ability to suppress OS-induced cell death in both fly and human PD models.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kellie A. Woll, Omid Haji-Ghassemi, Filip Van Petegem
Summary: Ryanodine Receptors (RyRs) release Ca2+ and mutations in RyR can lead to various diseases such as malignant hyperthermia, myopathies, and arrhythmias. By investigating an MH-related RyR mutation and how apoCaM induces RyR1 opening, it is shown that disease mutations can cause distinct pathological conformations of RyR, affecting channel opening.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Wentao Fan, Hui Li, Haoyuan Li, Ying Li, Jing Wang, Xiuqin Jia, Qi Yang
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the association between functional connectivity of the olfactory cortex and olfactory performance in Parkinson's disease (PD). The researchers found a negative correlation between olfactory performance and functional connectivity in a specific brain region in PD patients. PD patients who had lost their sense of smell exhibited higher functional connectivity values compared to patients with normal olfaction. There was no significant correlation between functional connectivity values and other neuropsychological assessments.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mari Suzuki, Kazunori Sango, Yoshitaka Nagai
Summary: Alpha-synuclein plays a major role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease, and fruit fly models expressing alpha-synuclein contribute to the understanding of disease-associated factors.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jin Xue, Yingbao Zhu, Liyi Wei, Hongjing Huang, Guangxu Li, Wen Huang, Hua Zhu, Ranhui Duan
Summary: NgBR, encoded by NUS1 gene, is involved in cholesterol transport and the risk of Parkinson's disease. Knockdown of tango14, the ortholog of NUS1, in fruit flies leads to decreased locomotive abilities, loss of dopaminergic neurons, and cholesterol accumulation. This study also reveals neurodegenerative effects and increased alpha-synuclein neurotoxicity in tango14 knockdown flies.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Cecilia Tremblay, Johannes Frasnelli
Summary: The research focused on the impact of Parkinson's disease on the trigeminal system and the interaction between olfactory and trigeminal systems, proposing a model for distinguishing between PD-related OD and NPOD. While these patterns of chemosensory impairment still need confirmation in prodromal PD, appropriate chemosensory tests may eventually aid in developing diagnostic tools to identify individuals at risk for PD.
Article
Neurosciences
Judit Pallos, Sophia Jeng, Shannon McWeeney, Ian Martin
Summary: LRRK2 mutations are the most common genetic cause of late-onset Parkinson's disease, enhancing kinase activity and causing neurodegeneration. Using TRAP and RNA-seq, researchers profiled gene expression changes specifically in dopamine neurons induced by LRRK2 G2019S in Drosophila, uncovering a range of differentially expressed genes.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Enrico Bagnoli, Alexandre Trotier, Jill Mcmahon, Leo R. Quinlan, Manus Biggs, Abhay Pandit, Una Fitzgerald
Summary: Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with unknown etiology and no cure. The olfactory bulb, responsible for processing olfactory information, is affected early in the disease. Research has shown that exposure to the dopamine metabolite DOPAL can replicate many aspects of Parkinson's disease pathology.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Enrico Bagnoli, Alexandre Trotier, Jill McMahon, Leo R. Quinlan, Manus Biggs, Abhay Pandit, Una Fitzgerald
Summary: Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with unknown etiology and no cure. The olfactory bulb, involved in processing olfactory information, is affected early in the disease. The study demonstrates that dopamine metabolite DOPAL can replicate Parkinson's pathology, shedding light on the disease mechanism.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chitrakshi Pant, Moumita Chakrabarti, Jolly Janette Mendonza, Bogonda Ganganna, Srihari Pabbaraja, Manika Pal Bhadra
Summary: The study examined the effects of aza-flavanone molecule using a parkin transgenic Drosophila melanogaster model, showing enhanced motor coordination, increased survivability, and upregulated expression of the master regulator gene for dopamine synthesis. Additionally, the molecule had a significant impact on mitochondrial health and biogenesis in the fly brain.
ACS CHEMICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Aliyah Glover, Lakshmi Pillai, Rohit Dhall, Tuhin Firmani
Summary: Olfactory dysfunction in Parkinson's disease can be detected before motor symptoms, and a specific pattern of odorant identification on the UPSIT may discriminate between patients with and without freezing of gait. Freezers showed more severe hyposmia and had significantly worse identification of nine odors compared to non-freezers. A 3-odorant score can effectively categorize freezers and non-freezers with similar sensitivity and specificity to short odorant Parkinson's disease identification batteries.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Iryna Kamienieva, Agata Charzynska, Jerzy Duszynski, Dominika Malinska, Joanna Szczepanowska
Summary: Most cases of Parkinson's disease are idiopathic and their causes are unknown. However, a small percentage of cases are caused by genetic mutations, with the parkin gene mutation being the most common. Mitochondrial dysfunction is believed to play a role in both idiopathic and genetic Parkinson's disease. However, different studies have reported inconsistent data on mitochondrial changes, which may be due to the genetic variability of the disease. This study investigates the mitochondrial function and dynamics in fibroblasts from Parkinson's disease patients with parkin mutations. Cluster analysis of the data revealed characteristic features of Parkinson's disease fibroblasts, including smaller and less complex mitochondrial networks, as well as decreased levels of mitochondrial biogenesis regulators and mitophagy mediators.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR BASIS OF DISEASE
(2023)
Letter
Clinical Neurology
Alessandro Dinoto, Elia Sechi, Sergio Ferrari, Alberto Gajofatto, Riccardo Orlandi, Paolo Solla, Alessandra Maccabeo, Giorgia Teresa Maniscalco, Vincenzo Andreone, Arianna Sartori, Paolo Manganotti, Sarah Rasia, Ruggero Capra, Chiara Rosa Mancinelli, Sara Mariotto
Summary: This retrospective multicenter Italian study assessed the frequency of relapses after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in patients with MOGAD and AQP4-IgG+NMOSD. The study found that there was no relapse in the MOGAD group, while the relapse risk in the AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD group was 4%.
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND RELATED DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Paolo Solla, Carla Masala, Tommaso Ercoli, Gianni Orofino, Francesco Loy, Ilenia Pinna, Laura Fadda, Giovanni Defazio
Summary: This study found significant olfactory dysfunction in PD patients with the akinetic-rigid dominant (ARD) subtype, with a lower odor threshold compared to the tremor-dominant (TD) subtype. There may be different pathophysiological mechanisms between the different clinical subtypes of PD.
Article
Neurosciences
Paolo Solla, Tommaso Ercoli, Carla Masala, Gianni Orofino, Laura Fadda, Davide Giacomo Corda, Ignazio Roberto Zarbo, Mario Meloni, Elia Sechi, Caterina Francesca Bagella, Giovanni Defazio
Summary: This article reports three PD patients who developed a severe withdrawal syndrome after discontinuing the use of rasagiline. The syndrome was characterized by prominent psychiatric disorders and autonomic symptoms, resembling dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. This report highlights the importance of closely monitoring PD patients undergoing rasagiline suspension for withdrawal symptoms and provides interesting insights into the role of rasagiline and other MAO-B inhibitors in mood disorders.
Editorial Material
Biodiversity Conservation
Giorgia Sollai, Paolo Solari
Letter
Clinical Neurology
Claudia Frau, Carla Masala, Paolo Solla, Tommaso Ercoli, Giovanni Defazio
NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Annalisa Andreani, Chiara Beltramo, Maria Paola Ponzetta, Antonio Belcari, Patrizia Sacchetti, Pier Luigi Acutis, Simone Peletto
Summary: This study aimed to characterize the bacterial communities of L. fortisetosa in different life stages. Results showed significant differences in composition and relative abundance of bacterial taxa among the groups. Pathogenic genera of concern for human health were detected, suggesting the potential role of L. fortisetosa as a reservoir of harmful microorganisms and the need for further investigation.
MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Paolo Solla, Carla Masala, Tommaso Ercoli, Claudia Frau, Caterina Bagella, Ilenia Pinna, Francesco Loy, Giovanni Defazio
Summary: Olfactory and cognitive disorders are important non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease. The association between specific cognitive domains and olfactory impairment in Parkinson's disease patients has not been clearly established. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between olfactory dysfunction and specific cognitive domains in patients compared to controls. The data suggested a significant association between olfactory dysfunction and deficit in executive functions.
Letter
Clinical Neurology
Paolo Solla, Qian Wang, Carla Masala
PARKINSONISM & RELATED DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Anita Nencioni, Roberta Pastorelli, Gaia Bigiotti, Maria Alexandra Cucu, Patrizia Sacchetti
Summary: Spittlebugs are insects that feed on xylem sap with the help of symbiotic endosymbionts in their body. The symbiotic bacteria in their gut have been poorly studied. The potential role of spittlebugs as vectors of the plant pathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa has increased research on control strategies. It was found that different species of spittlebug nymphs harbor different dominant bacteria in their gut, as well as recurring bacteria in their foam. The diversity of bacteria in the gut and foam of nymphs provides new insights into the facultative symbionts of spittlebugs.
Article
Neurosciences
Paolo Solla, Qian Wang, Claudia Frau, Valentina Floris, Francesco Loy, Leonardo Antonio Sechi, Carla Masala
Summary: The study aimed to determine whether olfactory impairment and other clinical characteristics can predict higher scores on the RBD screening questionnaire (RBDSQ) in PD patients. The severity of olfactory impairment was found to be closely correlated with RBD symptoms, and the study confirmed the presence of gender differences in RBD in PD patients.
Article
Biology
Carla Masala, Paolo Solla, Francesco Loy
Summary: Many studies have shown significant associations between olfactory function and cognitive abilities in healthy individuals. However, the gender-related association between olfactory function and specific cognitive domains of the Cognitive Reserve Index (CRI) questionnaire has not been investigated. This study aimed to determine gender-related differences in the relationship between olfactory function and specific cognitive domains of the CRI questionnaire in healthy subjects.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Roberto Crnjar, Paolo Solari, Giorgia Sollai
Summary: The flavor of foods and beverages is a mixture of volatile compounds, but not all of these compounds impact our senses. The ability to detect specific compounds and perceive odor intensity varies among individuals due to differences in olfactory function. This study used roasted coffee beans as an olfactory stimulus and analyzed the individual components of coffee flavor using Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry. The results showed a correlation between olfactory status and the ability to detect compounds, as well as the intensity of coffee aroma.
Letter
Clinical Neurology
Francesca Pinna, Davide Corda, Chiara Fois, Alessandra Maccabeo, Gian Pietro Sechi, Paolo Solla
SEIZURE-EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF EPILEPSY
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Tommaso Ercoli, Francesco Barbato, Alessandro Bombaci, Luca Cuffaro, Francesco Di Lorenzo, Francesco Iodice, Michele Romoli, Paolo Solla, Giovanni Defazio
Summary: This study investigates the impact of COVID-19 on neurology training programs, collecting data on residents' experiences worldwide. The findings show significant effects of the pandemic on neurology training programs, emphasizing the importance of resilience and flexibility in medical education.
Article
Biology
Paolo Solari, Giorgia Sollai, Viviana Pasquini, Angelica Giglioli, Roberto Crnjar, Piero Addis
Summary: This study investigates the chemical sensitivity of the Mediterranean sea urchin to a blue-green alga and several amino acids. The results show that the algae and amino acids have a strong stimulating effect on the sea urchin, suggesting their potential value in sea urchin aquaculture.