Neuroscience: molecular approaches and clinical applications. 3.

Title of project or programme

Principal Investigators of project/programme grant

Title	Forname	Surname	Institution	Country
Prof	Antonio	Gambardella	Institute of Neurological Sciences, CNR, Cosenza	Italy
Dr	Antonio	Quattrone	Institute of Neurological Sciences, CNR, Cosenza	Italy
Dr	Marco	Pagani	Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, CNR, Rome	Italy
Dr	Gioia	Jacopini	Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, CNR, Rome	Italy
Dr	Antonio	Qualtieri	Institute of Neurological Sciences, CNR, Cosenza	Italy
Prof	Lamberto	Maffei	Neuroscience Institute, CNR, Pisa and Accademia dei Lincei	Italy

Address of institution of lead PI

Institution	Enrica Strettoi, Italian National Research Council, CNR
Street Address	Neuroscience Institute, Area della Ricerca, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 1
City	Pisa
Postcode	56124

Country

Italy

Source of funding information

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche

Total sum awarded (Euro)

1000000

Start date of award

01-01-2009

Total duration of award in months

60

The project/programme is most relevant to

Neurodegenerative disease in general

Keywords

genetics, population studies, risk factors, imaging, biomarkers, environmental enrichment, cognitive decline, proteomics

Research abstract in English

The Neuroscience Program of the Italian CNR comprises numerous lines of research headed by investigators of 10 different Institutes located all over the Country. Several laboratories carry on studies on Alzheimer, Parkinson, Huntington . ALS and prion disease and other disorders of the CNS. Methods of study range from molecular techniques to epidemiological approaches. The PIs listed above are responsible for the following projects (in order):
1) Genetics of inherited CNS diseases: population studies, molecular approaches and identification of risk factors in genetic forms of Parkinson, Alzheimer and inherited forms of ataxia
2) Clinical investigation of neurodegenerative diseases: multi-modal imaging, identification of new markers and evaluation of pharmacological outcome in Alzheimer, Parkinson and motor neurons disorders
3) REGISTRY: a multi-centric, observational study on Huntington disease (HD). Environmental modifiers of HD: effects of life style; outcome of multidisciplinary rehabilitation in HD.
4) Functional imaging (Single-photon emission computed tomography and PET) and advance computing studies of Alzheimer disease.
5) Proteomic analysis of inherited CNS diseases: biochemical and histological studies on tissue samples and body fluids of Parkinson disease and prion disease subjects
6) Train the brain: clinical and experimental study of the efficacy of cognitive training and physical exercise in dementia

Lay summary

The Neuroscience Program of the Italian CNR comprises numerous lines of research headed by investigators of 10 different Institutes located all over the Country. Several laboratories carry on studies on Alzheimer, Parkinson, Huntington . ALS and prion disease and other disorders of the CNS. Methods of study range from molecular techniques to epidemiological approaches.