Valter Tucci - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Valter Tucci

2015 37th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), 2015

Sleep-stage analysis in mice and rats has received growing attention in recent years, due to the ... more Sleep-stage analysis in mice and rats has received growing attention in recent years, due to the fact that mice display electrical activity during sleep which has underlying similarities with that of human sleep. Both conventional manual and automatic sleep-wakefulness scoring are rule based tasks which use brain waves measured by Electroencephalogram (EEG) and activity detected by Electromyography (EMG) of skeletal muscles. Several works have been conducted trying to provide an automatic sleep-scoring system on the basis of machine learning methods. In this study we try to understand the reasons behind the complexity of this problem and we emphasize the importance of normalization procedure that leads to a better stage discrimination comparing different classification methods.

Human Molecular Genetics

Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by metabolic a... more Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by metabolic alteration and sleep abnormalities mostly related to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep disturbances. The disease is caused by genomic imprinting defects that are inherited through the paternal line. Among the genes located in the PWS region on chromosome 15 (15q11-q13), small nucleolar RNA 116 (Snord116) has been previously associated with intrusions of REM sleep into wakefulness in humans and mice. Here, we further explore sleep regulation of PWS by reporting a study with PWScrm+/p− mouse line, which carries a paternal deletion of Snord116. We focused our study on both macrostructural electrophysiological components of sleep, distributed among REMs and nonrapid eye movements. Of note, here, we study a novel electroencephalography (EEG) graphoelements of sleep for mouse studies, the well-known spindles. EEG biomarkers are often linked to the functional properties of cortical neurons and can ...

Nature Communications

The development of functional synapses is a sequential process preserved across many brain areas.... more The development of functional synapses is a sequential process preserved across many brain areas. Here, we show that glutamatergic postsynaptic currents anticipated GABAergic currents in Layer II/III of the rat neocortex, in contrast to the pattern described for other brain areas. The frequencies of both glutamatergic and GABAergic currents increased abruptly at the beginning of the second postnatal week, supported by a serotonin upsurge. Integrative behaviors arose on postnatal day (P)9, while most motor and sensory behaviors, which are fundamental for pup survival, were already in place at approximately P7. A reduction in serotonin reuptake accelerated the development of functional synapses and integrative huddling behavior, while sparing motor and sensory function development. A decrease in synaptic transmission in Layer II/III induced by a chemogenetic approach only inhibited huddling. Thus, precise developmental sequences mediate early, socially directed behaviors for which neurotransmission and its modulation in supragranular cortical layers play key roles.

Brain sciences, Jan 9, 2017

Research across the cognitive and brain sciences has begun to elucidate some of the processes tha... more Research across the cognitive and brain sciences has begun to elucidate some of the processes that guide navigation and spatial memory. Boundary geometry and featural landmarks are two distinct classes of environmental cues that have dissociable neural correlates in spatial representation and follow different patterns of learning. Consequently, spatial navigation depends both on the type of cue available and on the type of learning provided. We investigated this interaction between spatial representation and memory by administering two different tasks (working memory, reference memory) using two different environmental cues (rectangular geometry, striped landmark) in mouse models of human genetic disorders: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWScr(m+/p-) mice, n = 12) and Beta-catenin mutation (Thr653Lys-substituted mice, n = 12). This exploratory study provides suggestive evidence that these models exhibit different abilities and impairments in navigating by boundary geometry and featural land...

Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, 2016

Ageing is a complex multifactorial process that results in many changes in physiological changes ... more Ageing is a complex multifactorial process that results in many changes in physiological changes processes that ultimately increase susceptibility to a wide range of diseases. As such an ageing population is resulting in a pressing need for more and improved treatments across an assortment of diseases. Such treatments can come from a better understanding of the pathogenic pathways which, in turn, can be derived from models of disease. Therefore the more closely the model resembles the disease situation the more likely relevant the data will be that is generated from them. Here we review the state of knowledge of mouse models of a range of diseases and aspects of an ageing physiology that are all germane to ageing. We also give recommendations on the most common mouse models on their relevance to the clinical situations occurring in aged patients and look forward as to how research in ageing models can be carried out. As we continue to elucidate the pathophysiology of disease, often through mouse models, we also learn what is needed to refine these models. Such factors can include better models, reflecting the ageing patient population, or a better phenotypic understanding of existing models.

2016 38th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), 2016

This study explored the psychophysical effects of intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) coupled t... more This study explored the psychophysical effects of intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) coupled to auditory stimulation during a behavioral detection task in rats. ICMS directed to the sensory areas of the cortex can be instrumental in facilitating operant conditioning behavior. Moreover, multisensory stimulation promotes learning by enabling the subject to access multiple information channels. However, the extent to which multisensory information can be used as a cue to make decisions has not been fully understood. This study addressed the exploration of the parameters of multisensory stimulation delivered to behaving rats in an operant conditioning task. Preliminary data indicate that animal decisions can be shaped by online changing the stimulation parameters.

PLOS ONE, 2016

Neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit and hyp... more Neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have increased over the last few decades. These neurodevelopmental disorders are characterized by a complex etiology, which involves multiple genes and gene-environmental interactions. Various genes that control specific properties of neural development exert pivotal roles in the occurrence and severity of phenotypes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Moreover, paternal aging has been reported as one of the factors that contribute to the risk of ASD and ADHD. Here we report, for the first time, that paternal aging has profound effects on the onset of behavioral abnormalities in mice carrying a mutation of Pax6, a gene with neurodevelopmental regulatory functions. We adopted an in vitro fertilization approach to restrict the influence of additional factors. Comprehensive behavioral analyses were performed in Sey/+ mice (i.e., Pax6 mutant heterozygotes) born from in vitro fertilization of sperm taken from young or aged Sey/+ fathers. No body weight changes were found in the four groups, i.e., Sey/+ and wild type (WT) mice born to young or aged father. However, we found important differences in maternal separation-induced ultrasonic vocalizations of Sey/+ mice born from young father and in the level of hyperactivity of Sey/+ mice born from aged fathers in the open-field test, respectively, compared to WT littermates. Phenotypes of anxiety were observed in both genotypes born from aged fathers compared with those born from young fathers. No significant difference was found in social behavior and sensorimotor gating among the four groups. These results indicate that mice with a single genetic risk factor can develop different phenotypes depending on the paternal age. Our study advocates for serious considerations on the role of paternal aging in breeding strategies for animal studies.

Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2016

[This corrects the article on p. 315 in vol. 10, PMID: 27458335.].

Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2016

In this paper, we show that neuronal assemblies plated on Micro Electrode Arrays present synchron... more In this paper, we show that neuronal assemblies plated on Micro Electrode Arrays present synchronized, low frequency firing patterns similar to in vivo slow wave oscillations, which are a key parameter of sleep-like state. Although neuronal cultures lack the characteristic high-frequency waves of wakefulness, it is possible to modulate their spontaneous firing pattern through the administration of specific neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine. We thus stimulated the cortical cultures with an agonist of acetylcholine receptor, Carbachol, which caused a desynchronization of the spontaneous firing of the cultures. We recorded and monitored the cultures for a period of over 31 h. We analyzed the electrophysiological signals by exploiting novel methodological approaches, taking into account the different temporal scales of the recorded signals, and considering both spikes and local field potentials. Supporting the electrophysiological analysis results, gene expressions of targeted genes showed the activation of specific markers involved in sleep-wake rhythms. Our results demonstrate that the Carbachol treatment induces desynchronization of neuronal activity, altering sleep-like properties in an in vitro model.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, 2014

2012 3rd International Conference on Image Processing Theory Tools and Applications, Oct 1, 2012

The combined use of mice that have genetic mutations (transgenic mouse models) of human pathology... more The combined use of mice that have genetic mutations (transgenic mouse models) of human pathology and advanced neuroimaging methods (such as MRI) has the potential to radically change how we approach disease understanding, diagnosis and treatment. Morphological changes occurring in the brain of transgenic animals as a result of the interaction between environment and genotype, can be assessed using advanced image analysis methods, an effort described as "mouse brain phenotyping". However, the computational methods required for the analysis of high-resolution brain images are demanding. In this paper, we propose a computationally effective cloud-based implementation of morphometric analysis of high-resolution mouse brain datasets. We show that the proposed approach is highly scalable and suited for a variety of methods for MRbased brain phenotyping. The proposed approach is easy to deploy, and could become an alternative for laboratories that may require instant access to large high performance computing infrastructure.

2015 37th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), 2015

Sleep-stage analysis in mice and rats has received growing attention in recent years, due to the ... more Sleep-stage analysis in mice and rats has received growing attention in recent years, due to the fact that mice display electrical activity during sleep which has underlying similarities with that of human sleep. Both conventional manual and automatic sleep-wakefulness scoring are rule based tasks which use brain waves measured by Electroencephalogram (EEG) and activity detected by Electromyography (EMG) of skeletal muscles. Several works have been conducted trying to provide an automatic sleep-scoring system on the basis of machine learning methods. In this study we try to understand the reasons behind the complexity of this problem and we emphasize the importance of normalization procedure that leads to a better stage discrimination comparing different classification methods.

Human Molecular Genetics

Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by metabolic a... more Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by metabolic alteration and sleep abnormalities mostly related to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep disturbances. The disease is caused by genomic imprinting defects that are inherited through the paternal line. Among the genes located in the PWS region on chromosome 15 (15q11-q13), small nucleolar RNA 116 (Snord116) has been previously associated with intrusions of REM sleep into wakefulness in humans and mice. Here, we further explore sleep regulation of PWS by reporting a study with PWScrm+/p− mouse line, which carries a paternal deletion of Snord116. We focused our study on both macrostructural electrophysiological components of sleep, distributed among REMs and nonrapid eye movements. Of note, here, we study a novel electroencephalography (EEG) graphoelements of sleep for mouse studies, the well-known spindles. EEG biomarkers are often linked to the functional properties of cortical neurons and can ...

Nature Communications

The development of functional synapses is a sequential process preserved across many brain areas.... more The development of functional synapses is a sequential process preserved across many brain areas. Here, we show that glutamatergic postsynaptic currents anticipated GABAergic currents in Layer II/III of the rat neocortex, in contrast to the pattern described for other brain areas. The frequencies of both glutamatergic and GABAergic currents increased abruptly at the beginning of the second postnatal week, supported by a serotonin upsurge. Integrative behaviors arose on postnatal day (P)9, while most motor and sensory behaviors, which are fundamental for pup survival, were already in place at approximately P7. A reduction in serotonin reuptake accelerated the development of functional synapses and integrative huddling behavior, while sparing motor and sensory function development. A decrease in synaptic transmission in Layer II/III induced by a chemogenetic approach only inhibited huddling. Thus, precise developmental sequences mediate early, socially directed behaviors for which neurotransmission and its modulation in supragranular cortical layers play key roles.

Brain sciences, Jan 9, 2017

Research across the cognitive and brain sciences has begun to elucidate some of the processes tha... more Research across the cognitive and brain sciences has begun to elucidate some of the processes that guide navigation and spatial memory. Boundary geometry and featural landmarks are two distinct classes of environmental cues that have dissociable neural correlates in spatial representation and follow different patterns of learning. Consequently, spatial navigation depends both on the type of cue available and on the type of learning provided. We investigated this interaction between spatial representation and memory by administering two different tasks (working memory, reference memory) using two different environmental cues (rectangular geometry, striped landmark) in mouse models of human genetic disorders: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWScr(m+/p-) mice, n = 12) and Beta-catenin mutation (Thr653Lys-substituted mice, n = 12). This exploratory study provides suggestive evidence that these models exhibit different abilities and impairments in navigating by boundary geometry and featural land...

Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, 2016

Ageing is a complex multifactorial process that results in many changes in physiological changes ... more Ageing is a complex multifactorial process that results in many changes in physiological changes processes that ultimately increase susceptibility to a wide range of diseases. As such an ageing population is resulting in a pressing need for more and improved treatments across an assortment of diseases. Such treatments can come from a better understanding of the pathogenic pathways which, in turn, can be derived from models of disease. Therefore the more closely the model resembles the disease situation the more likely relevant the data will be that is generated from them. Here we review the state of knowledge of mouse models of a range of diseases and aspects of an ageing physiology that are all germane to ageing. We also give recommendations on the most common mouse models on their relevance to the clinical situations occurring in aged patients and look forward as to how research in ageing models can be carried out. As we continue to elucidate the pathophysiology of disease, often through mouse models, we also learn what is needed to refine these models. Such factors can include better models, reflecting the ageing patient population, or a better phenotypic understanding of existing models.

2016 38th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), 2016

This study explored the psychophysical effects of intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) coupled t... more This study explored the psychophysical effects of intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) coupled to auditory stimulation during a behavioral detection task in rats. ICMS directed to the sensory areas of the cortex can be instrumental in facilitating operant conditioning behavior. Moreover, multisensory stimulation promotes learning by enabling the subject to access multiple information channels. However, the extent to which multisensory information can be used as a cue to make decisions has not been fully understood. This study addressed the exploration of the parameters of multisensory stimulation delivered to behaving rats in an operant conditioning task. Preliminary data indicate that animal decisions can be shaped by online changing the stimulation parameters.

PLOS ONE, 2016

Neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit and hyp... more Neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have increased over the last few decades. These neurodevelopmental disorders are characterized by a complex etiology, which involves multiple genes and gene-environmental interactions. Various genes that control specific properties of neural development exert pivotal roles in the occurrence and severity of phenotypes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Moreover, paternal aging has been reported as one of the factors that contribute to the risk of ASD and ADHD. Here we report, for the first time, that paternal aging has profound effects on the onset of behavioral abnormalities in mice carrying a mutation of Pax6, a gene with neurodevelopmental regulatory functions. We adopted an in vitro fertilization approach to restrict the influence of additional factors. Comprehensive behavioral analyses were performed in Sey/+ mice (i.e., Pax6 mutant heterozygotes) born from in vitro fertilization of sperm taken from young or aged Sey/+ fathers. No body weight changes were found in the four groups, i.e., Sey/+ and wild type (WT) mice born to young or aged father. However, we found important differences in maternal separation-induced ultrasonic vocalizations of Sey/+ mice born from young father and in the level of hyperactivity of Sey/+ mice born from aged fathers in the open-field test, respectively, compared to WT littermates. Phenotypes of anxiety were observed in both genotypes born from aged fathers compared with those born from young fathers. No significant difference was found in social behavior and sensorimotor gating among the four groups. These results indicate that mice with a single genetic risk factor can develop different phenotypes depending on the paternal age. Our study advocates for serious considerations on the role of paternal aging in breeding strategies for animal studies.

Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2016

[This corrects the article on p. 315 in vol. 10, PMID: 27458335.].

Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2016

In this paper, we show that neuronal assemblies plated on Micro Electrode Arrays present synchron... more In this paper, we show that neuronal assemblies plated on Micro Electrode Arrays present synchronized, low frequency firing patterns similar to in vivo slow wave oscillations, which are a key parameter of sleep-like state. Although neuronal cultures lack the characteristic high-frequency waves of wakefulness, it is possible to modulate their spontaneous firing pattern through the administration of specific neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine. We thus stimulated the cortical cultures with an agonist of acetylcholine receptor, Carbachol, which caused a desynchronization of the spontaneous firing of the cultures. We recorded and monitored the cultures for a period of over 31 h. We analyzed the electrophysiological signals by exploiting novel methodological approaches, taking into account the different temporal scales of the recorded signals, and considering both spikes and local field potentials. Supporting the electrophysiological analysis results, gene expressions of targeted genes showed the activation of specific markers involved in sleep-wake rhythms. Our results demonstrate that the Carbachol treatment induces desynchronization of neuronal activity, altering sleep-like properties in an in vitro model.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, 2014

2012 3rd International Conference on Image Processing Theory Tools and Applications, Oct 1, 2012

The combined use of mice that have genetic mutations (transgenic mouse models) of human pathology... more The combined use of mice that have genetic mutations (transgenic mouse models) of human pathology and advanced neuroimaging methods (such as MRI) has the potential to radically change how we approach disease understanding, diagnosis and treatment. Morphological changes occurring in the brain of transgenic animals as a result of the interaction between environment and genotype, can be assessed using advanced image analysis methods, an effort described as "mouse brain phenotyping". However, the computational methods required for the analysis of high-resolution brain images are demanding. In this paper, we propose a computationally effective cloud-based implementation of morphometric analysis of high-resolution mouse brain datasets. We show that the proposed approach is highly scalable and suited for a variety of methods for MRbased brain phenotyping. The proposed approach is easy to deploy, and could become an alternative for laboratories that may require instant access to large high performance computing infrastructure.

Sleep-stage analysis in mice and rats has received growing attention in recent years, due to the ... more Sleep-stage analysis in mice and rats has received growing attention in recent years, due to the fact that mice display electrical activity during sleep which has underlying similarities with that of human sleep. Both conventional manual and automatic sleep-wakefulness scoring are rule based tasks which use brain waves measured by Electroencephalogram (EEG) and activity detected by Electromyography (EMG) of skeletal muscles. Several works have been conducted trying to provide an automatic sleep-scoring system on the basis of machine learning methods. In this study we try to understand the reasons behind the complexity of this problem and we emphasize the importance of normalization procedure that leads to a better stage discrimination comparing different classification methods.