Publications by authors named "Alessia Mirigliani"

The anticorrelations in fMRI measurements are still not well characterized, but some new evidences point to a possible physiological role. We explored the topology of functional brain networks characterized by negative edgess and their possible alterations in schizophrenia, using functional images of 8 healthy subjects and 8 schizophrenic patients in a resting state condition. In order to minimize the insertion of artifactual negative correlations, the preprocessing of images was carried out by the CompCorr procedure, and the results compared with the Global Signal Regression (GSR) procedure.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In multiple sclerosis, microstructural damage of normal-appearing brain tissue is an important feature of its pathology. Understanding these mechanisms is vital to help develop neuroprotective strategies. The visual pathway is a key model to study mechanisms of damage and recovery in demyelination.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) has an important role in the study of the vulnerability to psychosis: it is an essential tool to search for endophenotypes that can let us to understand the pathophysiological mechanisms of schizophrenia and increase the ability to predict the onset of the illness. In this review are summarized results of the fMRI studies conducted on individuals at enhanced risk for developing psychosis, for clinical or genetic reasons. The cerebral activity in this kind of subjects appear in most cases more similar to that of individuals affected than to that of normal controls; this increases the possibility, in the future, for a diagnostic role of the cerebral activation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Executive functioning is consistently impaired in schizophrenia, and it has been associated with reduced gray matter volume in prefrontal areas. Abnormalities in prefrontal brain regions have also been related to the illness duration. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of executive functioning decline and chronicity in prefrontal regions of patients with schizophrenia.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Schizotypy, or the set of personality traits related to schizophrenia, is considered an endophenotypic manifestation that is more represented in first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia than in the general population. The assessment of schizotypy is primarily based on self-reports, and for this reason it presents several limitations. In order to assess schizotypy, this study proposes a diagnostic instrument based on clinical reports.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Despite emerging evidence suggesting a link between alexithymia and immune function, previous studies yielded contrasting results. The proposed link between alexithymia and immune function remains controversial as does the role, in this relationship, of anxiety, depression and subjective stress. The aim of the study is to investigate the possible association between alexithymia and circulating levels of cytokines in subjects awaiting an upper endoscopy, a stressful procedure, controlling for anxiety levels, depression and subjective stress.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Personality disorders, especially borderline and antisocial, are pre-eminent in a penitentiary. Under detention, among 100 patients valuated, 75% have a personality disorder; the 55% of these is diagnosed with borderline personality, while the 20% have a diagnosis of antisocial personality. Borderline disorder is often unnoticed instead of antisocial that is emphasized by self-inflicted wounding and behavioural disorders.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF