Publications by authors named "G M Leggio"

Article Synopsis
  • Dopamine D3 receptors (D3Rs) play a key role in modulating brain activity, particularly in the hippocampus, which is crucial for memory and learning.
  • Blocking or removing D3Rs in mice enhances synaptic activity and improves long-term memory formation by strengthening synaptic connections through the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway.
  • In aged mice, D3Rs show a decline in axon terminals but remain stable in dendrites, and blocking these receptors can reverse memory and synaptic deficits, highlighting their potential as a target for treating cognitive decline in older individuals.
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Emotion recognition and the resulting responses are important for survival and social functioning. However, how socially derived information is processed for reliable emotion recognition is incompletely understood. Here, we reveal an evolutionarily conserved long-range inhibitory/excitatory brain network mediating these socio-cognitive processes.

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Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder affecting the elderly population worldwide. Due to the multifactorial nature of the disease, involving impairment of cholinergic neurotransmission and immune system, previous attempts to find effective treatments have faced challenges. In such scenario, we attempted to investigate the effects of alpha-glyceryl-phosphoryl-choline (α-GPC), a cholinomimetic molecule, on neuroinflammation and memory outcome in the triple transgenic mouse model of AD (3xTg-AD).

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Cognitive dysfunctions are core-enduring symptoms of schizophrenia, with important sex-related differences. Genetic variants of the DTBPN1 gene associated with reduced dysbindin-1 protein (Dys) expression negatively impact cognitive functions in schizophrenia through a functional epistatic interaction with Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). Dys is involved in the trafficking of dopaminergic receptors, crucial for prefrontal cortex (PFC) signaling regulation.

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Hypertension and derived cardiovascular disease (CVD) are among the leading causes of death worldwide. Increased oxidative stress and inflammatory state are involved in different alterations in endothelial functions that contribute to the onset of CVD. Polyphenols, and in particular anthocyanins, have aroused great interest for their antioxidant effects and their cardioprotective role.

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