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Palermo L, Boccia M. The Body in Neurosciences: Representation, Perception and Space Processing. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1708. [PMID: 38137156 PMCID: PMC10741805 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13121708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The Special Issue "The Body in Neurosciences: Representation, Perception and Space Processing" deals with the understanding of body processing in terms of the multisensorial perception of bodily related information, interoception, and mental representation, as well as its relationship with the peripersonal, interpersonal, and extrapersonal spaces, integrating findings from normal and pathological functioning [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Liana Palermo
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Viale Europa—Loc. Germaneto, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Maddalena Boccia
- Department of Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy;
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, via Ardeatina 306, 00179 Rome, Italy
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Gambino G, Pia L, Ferraro G, Brighina F, Di Majo D, Di Giovanni F, Ciorli T, Sardo P, Giglia G. Reducing Visuospatial Pseudoneglect in Healthy Subjects by Active Video Gaming. Brain Sci 2023; 13:877. [PMID: 37371357 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13060877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudoneglect phenomenon refers to a condition in which healthy subjects tend to perceive the left side of exactly bisected lines as being slightly longer than the right one. However, behavioural data showed that athletes practising an open-skill sport display less pseudoneglect than the general population. Given the fact that so-called exergames (also known as active video games) are platforms designed to fully mimic sport activity, this work intends to investigate whether and how a one-week training period of exergame open-skill sport can determine a similar decrease in pseudoneglect. Fifteen healthy participants (non-athletes) responded to a visuospatial attention task and a control memory task in basal conditions (t0: Pre-game) and after a short period (one week, one hour/day) of tennis exergaming (t1: Post-game). In the Post-game condition, subjects from this experimental group (ExerGame group: EG) reduced leftward space overestimation and made significantly fewer leftward errors compared to the Pre-game condition. Additionally, two other experimental groups were employed: one evaluated within the same conditions of the main experiment but using a non-exergame (Non-Exergame groups: NEG) and the other one without any video game stimulus (Sedentary group: SE). Our findings suggest that daily training of a tennis exergame seems to be able to improve visuospatial attention isotropy by reducing leftward space overestimation, whereas outcomes from non-exergaming and sedentary activity do not modify subjects' performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuditta Gambino
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), Section of Human Physiology, University of Palermo, 90134 Palermo, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Pia
- SAMBA-(SpAtial, Motor & Bodily Awareness) Psychology Department & Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ferraro
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), Section of Human Physiology, University of Palermo, 90134 Palermo, Italy
| | - Filippo Brighina
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), Section of Human Physiology, University of Palermo, 90134 Palermo, Italy
| | - Danila Di Majo
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), Section of Human Physiology, University of Palermo, 90134 Palermo, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Di Giovanni
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), Section of Human Physiology, University of Palermo, 90134 Palermo, Italy
| | - Tommaso Ciorli
- SAMBA-(SpAtial, Motor & Bodily Awareness) Psychology Department & Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy
| | - Pierangelo Sardo
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), Section of Human Physiology, University of Palermo, 90134 Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Giglia
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BiND), Section of Human Physiology, University of Palermo, 90134 Palermo, Italy
- Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), 90139 Palermo, Italy
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Gambino G, Giglia G, Allegra M, Di Liberto V, Zummo FP, Rappa F, Restivo I, Vetrano F, Saiano F, Palazzolo E, Avellone G, Ferraro G, Sardo P, Di Majo D. "Golden" Tomato Consumption Ameliorates Metabolic Syndrome: A Focus on the Redox Balance in the High-Fat-Diet-Fed Rat. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:antiox12051121. [PMID: 37237987 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12051121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Tomato fruits defined as "golden" refer to a food product harvested at an incomplete ripening stage with respect to red tomatoes at full maturation. The aim of this study is to explore the putative influence of "golden tomato" (GT) on Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), especially focusing on the effects on redox homeostasis. Firstly, the differential chemical properties of the GT food matrix were characterized in terms of phytonutrient composition and antioxidant capacities with respect to red tomato (RT). Later, we assessed the biochemical, nutraceutical and eventually disease-modifying potential of GT in vivo in the high-fat-diet rat model of MetS. Our data revealed that GT oral supplementation is able to counterbalance MetS-induced biometric and metabolic modifications. Noteworthy is that this nutritional supplementation proved to reduce plasma oxidant status and improve the endogenous antioxidant barriers, assessed by strong systemic biomarkers. Furthermore, consistently with the reduction of hepatic reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) levels, treatment with GT markedly reduced the HFD-induced increase in hepatic lipid peroxidation and hepatic steatosis. This research elucidates the importance of food supplementation with GT in the prevention and management of MetS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuditta Gambino
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Giglia
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
- Euro Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), 90139 Palermo, Italy
| | - Mario Allegra
- Postgraduate School of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Palermo, 90100 Palermo, Italy
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Valentina Di Liberto
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesco Paolo Zummo
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesca Rappa
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Ignazio Restivo
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Filippo Vetrano
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.4, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Filippo Saiano
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.4, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Eristanna Palazzolo
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.4, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Avellone
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
- ATeN (Advanced Technologies Network) Center, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ferraro
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
- Postgraduate School of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Palermo, 90100 Palermo, Italy
| | - Pierangelo Sardo
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
- Postgraduate School of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Palermo, 90100 Palermo, Italy
| | - Danila Di Majo
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
- Postgraduate School of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Palermo, 90100 Palermo, Italy
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Di Majo D, Sardo P, Giglia G, Di Liberto V, Zummo FP, Zizzo MG, Caldara GF, Rappa F, Intili G, van Dijk RM, Gallo D, Ferraro G, Gambino G. Correlation of Metabolic Syndrome with Redox Homeostasis Biomarkers: Evidence from High-Fat Diet Model in Wistar Rats. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 12:antiox12010089. [PMID: 36670955 PMCID: PMC9854509 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12010089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is an extremely complex disease. A non-balanced diet such as high-fat diet (HFD) induces metabolic dysfunction that could modify redox homeostasis. We here aimed at exploring redox homeostasis in male Wistar rats, following 8 weeks of HFD, correlating the eventual modification of selected biomarkers that could be associated with the clinical manifestations of MetS. Therefore, we selected parameters relative to both the glucose tolerance and lipid altered metabolism, but also oxidative pattern. We assessed some biomarkers of oxidative stress i.e., thiols balance, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant barriers, via the use of specific biochemical assays, individuating eventual cross correlation with parameters relative to MetS through a Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The present study shows that 8 weeks of HFD induce MetS in rats, altering glucose and lipid homeostasis and increasing visceral adipose tissue, but also impairing the physiological antioxidant responses that could not counteract the oxidative stress condition. Crucially, cross-correlation analysis suggested that the assessment of specific oxidative stress parameters reported here can provide information comparable to the more widely acquired biomarkers of Mets such as glucose tolerance. Lastly, hepatic steatosis in association with the oxidative stress condition was also highlighted by histological analysis. This research will elucidate the fundamental impact of these oxidative stress parameters on MetS induced in the HFD rat model, tracing paths for developing prevention approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danila Di Majo
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
- Postgraduate School of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Palermo, 90100 Palermo, Italy
| | - Pierangelo Sardo
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
- Postgraduate School of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Palermo, 90100 Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Giglia
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
- Euro Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology, I.E.ME.S.T, 90139 Palermo, Italy
| | - Valentina Di Liberto
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesco Paolo Zummo
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Zizzo
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
- ATeN (Advanced Technologies Network) Center, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | | | - Francesca Rappa
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Giorgia Intili
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | | | - Daniele Gallo
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ferraro
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
- Postgraduate School of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Palermo, 90100 Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuditta Gambino
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel./Fax: +39-09123865843
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Ketogenic and Modified Mediterranean Diet as a Tool to Counteract Neuroinflammation in Multiple Sclerosis: Nutritional Suggestions. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14122384. [PMID: 35745113 PMCID: PMC9229939 DOI: 10.3390/nu14122384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ketogenic Diet is a nutritional pattern often used as dietotherapy in inflammatory diseases, including neurological disorders. Applied on epileptic children since 1920, in recent years it has been taken into account again as a tool to both reduce inflammatory burdens and ameliorate the nutritional status of patients affected by different pathologies. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is considered an immune-mediated neuro-inflammatory disease and diet is a possible factor in its pathogenesis. The aim of this work is to investigate the main potential targets of MS-related impairments, in particular the cognitive deficits, focusing on the alteration of biomarkers such as the Brain Derived-Neurotrophic Factor and the Tryptophan/Kynurenine ratio that could play a role on neuroprotection and thus on MS progression. Furthermore, we here propose nutritional suggestions which are useful in the development of a ketogenic diet protocol that takes advantage of the anti-inflammatory properties of low-carbohydrate foods from the Mediterranean diet to be applied to subjects with MS. In conclusion, this approach will allow one to develop the ketogenic diet combined with a modified Mediterranean diet as a possible tool to improve neuroinflammation in multiple sclerosis.
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Giglia G, Gambino G, Cuffaro L, Aleo F, Sardo P, Ferraro G, Blandino V, Brighina F, Gangitano M, Piccoli T. Modulating Long Term Memory at Late-Encoding Phase: An rTMS Study. Brain Topogr 2021; 34:834-839. [PMID: 34674095 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-021-00872-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Despite a huge effort of the scientific community, the functioning of Long-Term Memory (LTM) processes is still debated and far from being elucidated. Functional and neurophysiological data point to an involvement of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC) in both encoding and retrieval phases. However, the recently proposed Explicit/Implicit Memory Encoding and Retrieval (EIMER) model proposes that LTM at the encoding phase consists of anatomically and chronologically different sub-phases. On this basis, we aimed to investigate the role of right DLPFC during a late-encoding phase by means of low-frequency rTMS. Thirty right-handed healthy subjects were divided into three experimental groups. Inhibitory rTMS was applied over right-DLPFC immediately after the encoding phase (Late-Encoding Group) or before recognition phase (Pre-Recognition Group), 24 h after, of an LTM task. Both groups also received sham stimulation during the non-target phase, while the third group (Sham Group) received only sham stimulation in both phases. The Late-Encoding Group collected a lower number of correct responses compared with Sham Group (p = 0.00), while Pre-Retrieval Group increased accuracy as compared to the Sham Group (p = 0.0). rTMS-inhibition of the right DLPFC seems able to interfere with LTM memory performances when delivered at a late stage of the encoding phase, with opposite effects at the pre-retrieval phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Giglia
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.,Euro Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology- I.E.ME.S.T., Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuditta Gambino
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Luca Cuffaro
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
| | - Fabio Aleo
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Pierangelo Sardo
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe Ferraro
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Valeria Blandino
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Filippo Brighina
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Massimo Gangitano
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Tommaso Piccoli
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D.), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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