Article
Neurosciences
Bartek Kulas, Stephen A. Klassen, M. Erin Moir, J. Kevin Shoemaker
Summary: This study examines the effects of baroreceptor unloading and volitional end-expiratory apnea on the firing patterns of sympathetic postganglionic neurons. The results suggest that these factors can modify the discharge rate, recruitment, and latency of sympathetic neurons.
JOURNAL OF NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Andrew W. D'Souza, Sarah L. Hissen, Kazumasa Manabe, Ryosuke Takeda, Takuro Washio, Geoff B. Coombs, Belinda Sanchez, Qi Fu, J. Kevin Shoemaker
Summary: Sympathetic vascular transduction is attenuated in older adults compared to young adults, and there is an inverse relationship between the central and peripheral arcs of the baroreflex. Age and sex have independent and interactive effects on sympathetic vascular transduction and sympathetic neurohemodynamic balance in humans.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-HEART AND CIRCULATORY PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Physiology
Michael M. Tymko, Lindsey F. Berthelsen, Rachel J. Skow, Andrew R. Steele, Graham M. Fraser, Craig D. Steinback
Summary: This review discusses the relationship between sympathetic nerve activity and the vasculature, examining both static and dynamic methods of measuring sympathetic transduction. Although each method has its limitations, they all hold significant implications for cardiovascular diseases.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Daniel A. Keir, Catherine F. Notarius, Mark B. Badrov, Philip J. Millar, John S. Floras
Summary: Unlike healthy individuals, in the majority of heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), 1-leg cycling increases muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA). In HFrEF, -18% of age-predicted peak oxygen uptake ((V)over dot O-2peak) can be attributed to changes in MSNA elicited by low-intensity exercise. This relationship is absent in healthy adults.
APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY NUTRITION AND METABOLISM
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Anthony Incognito, Andre L. Teixeira, Brooke M. Shafer, Massimo Nardone, Tyler D. Vermeulen, Glen E. Foster, Philip J. Millar
Summary: This study demonstrates that rhythmic handgrip exercise and isocapnic hypoxia induce similar proportions of single-unit inhibition when matched by multiunit sympathoexcitation, indicating that heterogeneous single-unit response patterns are related to the level of sympathoexcitation independent of the stressor type. Interestingly, only 47% of single units behaved consistently across both stressors, suggesting potential for functional specificity within the postganglionic neuronal pool.
JOURNAL OF NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Vaughan G. Macefield
Summary: This review discusses the development of microneurography and its contributions to understanding sensorimotor control and sympathetic outflow. It summarizes different approaches to recording nerve activity, considerations for recording quality, and analytical methods for maximizing information content.
CLINICAL AUTONOMIC RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Massimo Nardone, Anthony Incognito, Andre L. Teixeira, Joseph A. Cacoilo, Lauro C. Vianna, Philip J. Millar
Summary: The study evaluated the impact of resting muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) burst size and firing pattern on time-to-peak sympathetic transduction in young healthy men and women. Results showed larger MSNA burst areas led to faster peak responses, independent of the pattern of sympathetic firing.
APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY NUTRITION AND METABOLISM
(2021)
Article
Physiology
Keisho Katayama, Paolo B. Dominelli, Glen E. Foster, Shalaya Kipp, Michael G. Leahy, Koji Ishida, Andrew William Sheel
Summary: The study found that respiratory modulation of sympathetic vasomotor outflow to skeletal muscles remains intact and is amplified during dynamic exercise, reaching peak amplification at moderate intensity before plateauing at higher exercise intensities.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Valery Golderman, Shani Berkowitz, Shani Guly Gofrit, Orna Gera, Shay Anat Aharoni, Daniela Noa Zohar, Daria Keren, Amir Dori, Joab Chapman, Efrat Shavit-Stein
Summary: Thrombin activity in the skin is increased by regional and systemic inflammation and correlates with nerve fiber density. Measuring skin thrombin activity may aid in the diagnosis and treatment of SFN.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Xiaopu Lin, Chuna Chen, Yingshan Liu, Yu Peng, Zhenguo Chen, Haishan Huang, Lingling Xu
Summary: This study demonstrated that nerve conduction studies (NCS) and sympathetic skin response (SSR) are reliable methods to detect diabetic cardiac autonomic neuropathy (DCAN). Abnormality in the peroneal nerve (motor nerve) is crucial in predicting the disease. SSR may also help predict DCAN.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Karsten Heusser, Judith Wittkoepper, Christoph Bara, Axel Haverich, Andre Diedrich, Benjamin D. Levine, Jan D. Schmitto, Jens Jordan, Jens Tank
Summary: LVAD implantation can significantly improve heart function in patients with heart failure, but does not consistently normalize sympathetic activity.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEART FAILURE
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Andrew W. D'Souza, Jeung-Ki Yoo, Ryosuke Takeda, Mark B. Badrov, Elizabeth H. Anderson, Jessica Wiblin, Carol S. North, Alina Suris, Michael D. Nelson, J. Kevin Shoemaker, Qi Fu
Summary: Patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exhibit exaggerated sympathetic neural recruitment and impaired AP recruitment patterns during exercise.
CLINICAL AUTONOMIC RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yantao Xing, Yike Zhang, Zhijun Xiao, Chenxi Yang, Jiayi Li, Chang Cui, Jing Wang, Hongwu Chen, Jianqing Li, Chengyu Liu
Summary: This study proposed a method using TKE operator to preprocess SKNA signal, improved the detection accuracy for SKNA bursts with SKNAER feature, and showed significant differences in SNA evaluation compared to traditional methods.
Article
Neurosciences
Jordan B. Lee, Keisho Katayama, Philip J. Millar
Summary: The study found differences in limb-specific MSNA synchronicity during rest, handgrip exercise, and post-exercise, indicating lower synchronicity during handgrip exercise and increased synchronicity post-exercise.
AUTONOMIC NEUROSCIENCE-BASIC & CLINICAL
(2022)
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Ian M. Greenlund, Jason R. Carter
Summary: Short sleep duration and poor sleep quality are associated with cardiovascular risk, and sympathetic nervous system dysfunction appears to contribute to this association. Sleep disorders and insufficiencies such as sleep deprivation, insomnia, narcolepsy, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are characterized by sympathetic activation and/or dysfunction in the sympathetic/baroreflex system. Women may be at higher risk for these sleep-related cardiovascular issues.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-HEART AND CIRCULATORY PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Clinical Neurology
Jose-Alberto Palma, Pietro Cortelli
Summary: Efferent baroreflex failure is a major symptom in synucleinopathies, causing unstable blood pressure and leading to orthostatic hypotension and supine hypertension. Managing both conditions is challenging due to their opposite effects and the cognitive domains are also affected in these diseases.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Alessandra Fanciulli, Fabian Leys, Magdalena Krbot Skoric, Diogo Reis Carneiro, Giovanna Calandra-Buonaura, Jennifer Camaradou, Giacomo Chiaro, Pietro Cortelli, Cristian Falup-Pecurariu, Roberta Granata, Pietro Guaraldi, Raimund J. Helbok, Max Hilz, Valeria Iodice, Jens Jordan, Evert C. A. Kaal, Anita Kamondi, Anne Pavy Le Traon, Isabel Rocha, Johann Sellner, Jean Michel Senard, Astrid K. Terkelsen, Gregor Wenning, Elena Moro, Thomas D. Berger, Roland Thijs, Walter Struhal, Mario Habek
Summary: This study investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on European clinical autonomic practice. The results showed a significant decrease in the number of autonomic tests and visits during the first year of the pandemic. COVID-19 infection was associated with the development or worsening of cardiovascular autonomic disorders, while the association with COVID-19 vaccines was deemed unlikely.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Martina Gatti, Katarina Stoklund Dittlau, Francesca Beretti, Laura Yedigaryan, Manuela Zavatti, Pietro Cortelli, Carla Palumbo, Emma Bertucci, Ludo van den Bosch, Maurilio Sampaolesi, Tullia Maraldi
Summary: Neuromuscular junctions are important for communication between spinal motor neurons and skeletal muscle, and their vulnerability in degenerative diseases like muscle atrophy is poorly understood. Recent studies have shown the regenerative potential of stem cells and extracellular vesicles in muscle fiber regeneration, but their role in counteracting NMJ perturbations is not clear. In this study, a co-culture system was used to investigate the effects of AFSC-derived EVs on NMJ alterations induced by muscle atrophy. The presence of EVs reduced morphological and functional defects and prevented oxidative stress in atrophic myotubes. This study provides a valuable tool for studying MN and myotube interactions and demonstrates the efficacy of AFSC-EVs in counteracting NMJ perturbations.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Alfredo Conti, Nicola Maria Gambadauro, Paolo Mantovani, Canio Pietro Picciano, Vittoria Rosetti, Marcello Magnani, Sebastiano Lucerna, Constantin Tuleasca, Pietro Cortelli, Giulia Giannini
Summary: Modern brain atlases derived from neuroimaging and functional information are crucial for accurate neurosurgical procedures. They help avoid targeting errors caused by imaging artifacts or insufficient anatomical details.
Article
Neurosciences
R. Liguori, V. Donadio, Z. Wang, A. Incensi, G. Rizzo, E. Antelmi, F. Biscarini, F. Pizza, Wq Zou, G. Plazzi
Summary: This study compared the diagnostic accuracy of immunofluorescence (IF) and aSyn-seed amplification assay (aSyn-SAA) in detecting pathological alpha-syn in idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD). IF showed good accuracy (89%), while skin- and CSF-based aSyn-SAA had lower accuracy (70% and 69%, respectively). However, IF showed significant agreement with CSF aSyn-SAA. These findings support the use of skin biopsy and aSyn-SAA as diagnostic tools for synucleinopathy in iRBD.
NPJ PARKINSONS DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Luca Baldelli, Chiara Pirazzini, Luisa Sambati, Francesco Ravaioli, Davide Gentilini, Giovanna Calandra-Buonaura, Pietro Guaraldi, Claudio Franceschi, Pietro Cortelli, Paolo Garagnani, Maria Giulia Bacalini, Federica Provini
Summary: Isolated REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (iRBD) serves as a strong early indicator for alpha-synucleinopathies. However, little research has been done on the relationship between aging and prodromal phases of neurodegenerative diseases. This study used epigenetic clocks based on DNA methylation to measure biological aging in iRBD patients, as well as videopolysomnography-negative and population-based controls. The findings suggest that accelerated aging is a characteristic of prodromal neurodegeneration in iRBD patients.
NPJ PARKINSONS DISEASE
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria Pia Giannoccaro, Federico Verde, Luana Morelli, Giovanni Rizzo, Fortuna Ricciardiello, Rocco Liguori
Summary: Autoimmune encephalitis and neurodegenerative disorders share clinical features and antibodies against neuronal proteins may occur in both types of diseases. This article reviews the link between these antibodies and neurodegeneration, exploring the possibility of autoimmune encephalitis presenting as a neurodegenerative disease and the role of antibodies in the disease course. The long-term cognitive and neuroradiological changes associated with autoimmune encephalitis are also discussed, along with potential biomarkers for predicting cognitive outcome.
Article
Biology
Giulia Gianferrari, Ilaria Martinelli, Cecilia Simonini, Elisabetta Zucchi, Nicola Fini, Maria Caputo, Andrea Ghezzi, Annalisa Gessani, Elena Canali, Mario Casmiro, Patrizia De Massis, Marco Curro' Dossi, Silvia De Pasqua, Rocco Liguori, Marco Longoni, Doriana Medici, Simonetta Morresi, Alberto Patuelli, Maura Pugliatti, Mario Santangelo, Elisabetta Sette, Filippo Stragliati, Emilio Terlizzi, Veria Vacchiano, Lucia Zinno, Salvatore Ferro, Amedeo Amedei, Tommaso Filippini, Marco Vinceti, Jessica Mandrioli
Summary: This study analyzed the clinical and genetic features of elderly ALS patients (>80 years old). The results showed that they had worse clinical conditions, shorter survival time, and fewer genetic analyses. Therefore, multidisciplinary management should be more extensively applied to this fragile group of patients.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Sebastiano Giacomozzi, Valentina Barone, Elena Merli, Sara Contardi, Fortuna Ricciardiello, Maria Pia Giannoccaro, Rocco Liguori, Andrea Zini
MOVEMENT DISORDERS CLINICAL PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Matteo Tagliapietra, Alex Incensi, Moreno Ferrarini, Nazarena Mesiano, Alessandro Furia, Giovanni Rizzo, Rocco Liguori, Tiziana Cavallaro, Salvatore Monaco, Gian Maria Fabrizi, Vincenzo Donadio
Summary: Small fiber neuropathy is a common manifestation in RFC1 disease, with severe and widespread somatic denervation observed. Skin denervation may be an early feature of this disorder.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Ilaria Cani, Pietro Guaraldi, Giulia Giannini, Luisa Sambati, Giorgio Barletta, Pietro Cortelli, Giovanna Calandra-Buonaura
Summary: This study evaluated the cardiovascular effects of levodopa (LD) in patients with parkinsonism. The results showed that LD administration caused a decrease in blood pressure and an increase in heart rate in both supine and orthostatic conditions. Patients with cardiovascular autonomic failure were more likely to develop LD-induced orthostatic hypotension, suggesting that LD-induced orthostatic hypotension could be a red flag for cardiovascular autonomic failure in clinical practice.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andrea Mastrangelo, Veria Vacchiano, Corrado Zenesini, Edoardo Ruggeri, Simone Baiardi, Arianna Cherici, Patrizia Avoni, Barbara Polischi, Francesca Santoro, Sabina Capellari, Rocco Liguori, Piero Parchi
Summary: Recent studies have shown that ALS patients have higher levels of plasma GFAP compared to controls, and this marker is associated with cognitive decline. Plasma GFAP is an accurate biomarker for identifying Alzheimer's disease co-pathology in ALS, which can influence the cognitive phenotype.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Lisa Taruffi, Lorenzo Muccioli, Micaela Mitolo, Lorenzo Ferri, Carlo Descovich, Stefania Mazzoni, Roberto Michelucci, Raffaele Lodi, Rocco Liguori, Pietro Cortelli, Caterina Tonon, Francesca Bisulli
Summary: This study retrospectively observed the neurological manifestations of long COVID. The results showed that most patients had mild COVID-19 symptoms during the acute phase, and the neurological symptoms persisted afterwards. The most common neurological symptoms include fatigue, cognitive disorders, and olfactory dysfunction. These findings suggest the need for further research on therapeutic strategies.
NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DISEASE AND TREATMENT
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Giulia Sita, Agnese Graziosi, Camilla Corrieri, Luca Ghelli, Sabrina Angelini, Pietro Cortelli, Patrizia Hrelia, Fabiana Morroni
Summary: Alzheimer's disease, the most common type of dementia, is closely associated with aging. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is compromised in Alzheimer's disease due to the accumulation of beta-amyloid and phosphorylated Tau protein, leading to the activation of the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR). This study investigates the role of UPR in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease and identifies dysregulation of protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase (PERK), inositol-requiring protein 1 alpha (IRE1 alpha), and activating transcription factor 6 (ATF-6) pathways.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Jaakko Vallinoja, Timo Nurmi, Julia Jaatela, Vincent Wens, Mathieu Bourguignon, Helena Maenpaa, Harri Piitulainen
Summary: The study aimed to assess the effects of lesions related to spastic diplegic cerebral palsy on functional connectivity. Using multiple imaging modalities, the researchers found enhanced functional connectivity in the sensorimotor network of individuals with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, which was not correlated with hand coordination performance.
CLINICAL NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Francesca Ginatempo, Nicola Loi, John C. Rothwell, Franca Deriu
Summary: This study comprehensively investigated sensorimotor integration in the cranial-cervical muscles of healthy adults and found that the integration of sensory inputs with motor output is profoundly influenced by the type of sensory afferent involved and the functional role played by the target muscle.
CLINICAL NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2024)