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12 results on '"Cecere R"'

1. Anxiety Sensitivity Domains are Differently Affected by Social and Non-social Autistic Traits

Author

Baiano C., Raimo G., Zappullo I., Cecere R., Rauso B., Positano M., Conson M., Aversana L. D., Di Rosa A., Esposito G., Milo R., Polito F., Raimondo C., Turco A., Baiano, C., Raimo, G., Zappullo, I., Cecere, R., Rauso, B., Positano, M., Conson, M., Aversana, L. D., Di Rosa, A., Esposito, G., Milo, R., Polito, F., Raimondo, C., and Turco, A.

Subjects
Autism-spectrum quotient, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Anxiety, Surveys and Questionnaires, Developmental and Educational Psychology, medicine, Humans, Autistic Disorder, Autistic trait, Depression (differential diagnoses), Anxiety sensitivity, Cognitive concern, Depression, Cognition, Social concerns, Sex difference, medicine.disease, Anxiety Disorders, Autistic traits, Autism, medicine.symptom, Psychology, Clinical psychology, Psychopathology
Abstract

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is implicated in the development and maintenance of several psychopathological conditions. Non-clinical individuals with high autistic traits may develop anxiety disorders and depressive symptoms. Here, we investigated the relationships of autistic traits with AS dimensions and depression, considering sex. We referred to the two-factor model of the autism spectrum quotient to distinguish social and non-social autistic traits and assessed 345 university students on AS and depression scales. Results showed that only social autistic traits predicted general AS and anxiety-related concerns regarding social and cognitive domains. The present results emphasize the need of assessing multiple domains of anxiety in individuals on the autistic spectrum, differentiating social and non-social traits.

Published
2021
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2. Figure Disembedding: The Gottschaldt's Hidden Figure Test in Children with Typical Development and Autism

Author

Conson M., Siciliano M., Trojano L., Zoccolotti P., Zappullo I., Baiano C., Caputo G., Russo A., Cecere R., Di Rosa A., Esposito G., Milo R., Polito F., Rauso B., Vela M., Santangelo G., Conson, M., Siciliano, M., Trojano, L., Zoccolotti, P., Zappullo, I., Baiano, C., Caputo, G., Russo, A., Cecere, R., Di Rosa, A., Esposito, G., Milo, R., Polito, F., Rauso, B., Vela, M., and Santangelo, G.

Subjects
Perceptual style, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cognition, medicine.disease, Perception of detail, Large sample, Test (assessment), Developmental psychology, Age groups, Developmental and Educational Psychology, medicine, Normative, Autism, Humans, Hidden figure, Autistic Disorder, Psychology, Child, Time score, Figure disembedding, Socioeconomic differences
Abstract

In two studies, we used the Gottschaldt’s Hidden Figure Test (GHFT) for assessing figure disembedding ability in children aged 7–11. Study 1 demonstrated in a large sample of typically developing children that GHFT accuracy and time scores differed across age groups, without sex and socioeconomic differences. Thus, we provided normative data only taking into account children’s age. In Study 2, GHFT normative values were used to assess children with autism, who were also compared with a closely age-matched group of typical controls. Children with autism achieved time scores at or above the 50th centile and significantly differed from the controls for time score. The GHFT seems a valuable tool for defining the cognitive profile of children with autism.

Published
2021

3. Impact of new DAA therapy on real clinical practice: a multicenter region-wide cohort study

Author

Lanini, Simone, Scognamiglio, Paola, Mecozzi, Alessandra, Lombardozzi, Lorella, Vullo, Vincenzo, Angelico, Mario, Gasbarrini, Antonio, Taliani, Gloria, Attili, Adolfo Francesco, Perno, Carlo Federico, De Santis, Adriano, Puro, Vincenzo, Cerqua, Fabio, D'Offizi, Gianpiero, Pellicelli, Adriano, Armignacco, Orlando, Mennini, Francesco Saverio, Siciliano, Massimo, Girardi, Enrico, Panella, Vincenzo, Ippolito, Giuseppe, Sarrecchia, C., Di Paolo, M. D., Francioso, S., Brega, A., Lenci, I., Sarmati, L., Pompili, Maurizio, Grieco, Antonio, Tamburrini, Enrica, Apaccini, R., Miele, Luca, D'Ettorre, G., Mezzaroma, I., Furlan, C., Accapezzato, D., Paoletti, F., Merili, M., Corradini, S., Sereno, S., Fimiani, C., Mastropietro, C., Labbadia, G., Gentile, Giuseppe, Pasquazzi, C., Marignani, M., Guarisco, R., Puoti, C., Spilabotti, L., Montalbano, M., Boumis, E., Visco-Comandini, U., Zaccarelli, M., Ammassari, A., Lionetti, R., Murachelli, S., Loiacono, L., Antinori, Armando, Noto, P., Palmieri, F., Cicalini, S., Cerilli, S., Sampaolesi, A., Vincenzi, L., Bellagamba, R., Galati, V., Abdeddaim, A., Iacomi, F., Iannicelli, G., Mastroianni, Chiara, Lichtner, M., Ridola, L., Coluzzi, T., Mercurio, V., Del Borgo, C., Fondacaro, L., Cerasari, G., Guarascio, P., D'Ambrosio, C., Starnini, G., Caterini, A., Villani, Emanuele Rocco, Sarracino, L., Casinelli, K., Moretti, A., Vespasiani, U., Galati, G., Cecere, R., Bonaventura, M., and Scudieri, M.

Subjects
Male, Cirrhosis, Investigational, chronic hepatitis c, clinical study, direct acting antiviral, hepatitis c virus, liver cirrhosis, liver damage, mixed effect model, multicenter cohort study, new therapy, treatment efficacy, Logistic regression, Chronic hepatitis C, Cohort Studies, 0302 clinical medicine, Clinical study, Direct acting antiviral, Hepatitis C virus, Liver cirrhosis, Liver damage, Mixed effect model, Multicenter cohort study, New therapy, Treatment efficacy, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Antiviral Agents, Drug Therapy, Combination, Drugs, Investigational, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Hepatitis C, Chronic, Humans, Liver Cirrhosis, Middle Aged, Therapies, Investigational, 80 and over, 030212 general & internal medicine, Stage (cooking), Chronic, Confounding, Drugs, Hepatitis C, Infectious Diseases, Cohort, Combination, Settore SECS-P/03 - Scienza delle Finanze, 030211 gastroenterology & hepatology, Cohort study, Research Article, medicine.medical_specialty, Side effect, Hepatitis C virus, Chronic hepatitis C, Liver cirrhosis, Direct acting antiviral, Multicenter cohort study, Mixed effect model, Liver damage, Treatment efficacy, Clinical study, New therapy, lcsh:Infectious and parasitic diseases, 03 medical and health sciences, Drug Therapy, Internal medicine, medicine, lcsh:RC109-216, business.industry, Settore MED/09 - MEDICINA INTERNA, medicine.disease, Clinical trial, Therapies, business
Abstract

Background Management of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) has significantly accelerated in the last few years. Currently, second generation direct acting antivirals (DAAs) promise clearance of infection in most of patients. Here we present the results of the first analysis carried out on data of Lazio clinical network for DAAs. Methods The study was designed as a multicenter cohort: a) to assess the evolution of treatment during the first 24 months of the activity of the Clinical Network; b) to report overall efficacy of treatments; c) to analyze potential factors associated with lack of virological response at 12 weeks after therapy (SVR12); d) to evaluate the variation of ALT at baseline and 12 weeks after therapy in those who achieved SVR12 in comparison to those who did not. Analyses of efficacy were carried out with multilevel mixed effect logistic regression model. ALT temporal variation was assessed by mixed effect model mixed models with random intercept at patient’s level and random slope at the level of the time; i.e. either before or after therapy. Results Between 30 December 2014 and 31 December 2016 5279 patients started a DAA treatment; of those, 5127 (in 14 clinical centers) had completed the 12-week follow-up. Overall proportion of SVR12 was 93.41% (N = 4780) with no heterogeneity between the 14 clinical centers. Interruption as the consequence of severe side effect was very low (only 23 patients). Unadjusted analysis indicates that proportion of SVR12 significantly changes according to patient’s baseline characteristics, however after adjusting for potential confounders only adherence to current guidelines, stage of liver diseases, gender, transplant and HIV status were independently associated with the response to therapy. Analysis of ALT temporal variation showed that ALT level normalized in most, but not, all patients who achieved SVR12. Conclusion Our study confirmed the extraordinary efficacy of DAAs outside clinical trials. The advantage of DAAs was particularly significant for those patients who were previously considered as difficult-to-treat and did not have treatment options before DAAs era. Intervention based on network of select centers and prioritization of patients according to diseases severity was successful. Further studies are needed to establish whether clearance of HCV after DAAs therapy can arrest or even revert liver fibrosis in non-cirrhotic patients and/or improve life quality and expectancy in those who achieve SVR12 with cirrhosis.

Published
2018
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4. Empathy through the Pandemic: Changes of Different Emphatic Dimensions during the COVID-19 Outbreak

Author

Chiara Baiano, Gennaro Raimo, Isa Zappullo, Marialaura Marra, Roberta Cecere, Luigi Trojano, Massimiliano Conson, Baiano, C., Raimo, G., Zappullo, I., Marra, M., Cecere, R., Trojano, L., and Conson, M.

Subjects
Emotion, Disease Outbreak, SARS-CoV-2, Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis, Social skill, Emotions, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, COVID-19, Social cognition, Disease Outbreaks, Theory of mind, Humans, empathy, social skills, theory of mind, social cognition, Empathy, Pandemics, Human
Abstract

Growing evidence suggests that empathy is a relevant psychological trait to face the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but at the present very little is known on whether this multi-dimensional construct has been affected by the pandemic outbreak differently in its separate components. Here, we aimed at filling this gap by capitalizing on the opportunity of having collected data from different self-report measures and cognitive tasks assessing the main dimensions of empathy immediately before the beginning of the global pandemic and about one year later. The results showed a detrimental impact of the pandemic outbreak on empathic social skills but not on both cognitive (perspective-taking) and emotional empathy that instead significantly improved. Thus, reduced empathic social skills could be a weakness to be targeted in psychological interventions to help people cope with the mental health challenges related to COVID-19 pandemic, whereas the ability of understanding another’s mental states and emotions could represent a strength in dealing with the current long-lasting crisis.

Published
2022
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5. Implicit Motor Imagery and the Lateral Occipitotemporal Cortex: Hints for Tailoring Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation

Author

Gabriela Forgione, Roberta Cecere, Chiara Baiano, Isa Zappullo, Massimiliano Conson, Luigi Trojano, Francesco De Bellis, Conson, M., Cecere, R., Baiano, C., De Bellis, F., Forgione, G., Zappullo, I., and Trojano, L.

Subjects
Imagery, Psychotherapy, Movement, Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis, medicine.medical_treatment, lcsh:Medicine, Stimulation, Motor Activity, Article, Functional Laterality, 050105 experimental psychology, Lateralization of brain function, visual areas, compensation, 03 medical and health sciences, 0302 clinical medicine, Motor imagery, rTMS, human hand, medicine, Humans, 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences, Aged, Cerebral Cortex, hand laterality judgment, lcsh:R, 05 social sciences, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hand, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Cognitive training, Transcranial magnetic stimulation, Brain stimulation, Laterality, Mental representation, Psychology, Neuroscience, 030217 neurology & neurosurgery
Abstract

Background: Recent evidence has converged in showing that the lateral occipitotemporal cortex is over-recruited during implicit motor imagery in elderly and in patients with neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson&rsquo, s disease. These data suggest that when automatically imaging movements, individuals exploit neural resources in the visual areas to compensate for the decline in activating motor representations. Thus, the occipitotemporal cortex could represent a cortical target of non-invasive brain stimulation combined with cognitive training to enhance motor imagery performance. Here, we aimed at shedding light on the role of the left and right lateral occipitotemporal cortex in implicit motor imagery. Methods: We applied online, high-frequency, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the left and right lateral occipitotemporal cortex while healthy right-handers judged the laterality of hand images. Results: With respect to the sham condition, left hemisphere stimulation specifically reduced accuracy in judging the laterality of right-hand images. Instead, the hallmark of motor simulation, i.e., the biomechanical effect, was never influenced by rTMS. Conclusions: The lateral occipitotemporal cortex seems to be involved in mental representation of the dominant hand, at least in right-handers, but not in reactivating sensorimotor information during simulation. These findings provide useful hints for developing combined brain stimulation and behavioural trainings to improve motor imagery.

Published
2020
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6. Safety and efficacy of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir/dasabuvir plus ribavirin in patients over 65 years with HCV genotype 1 cirrhosis

Author

Giada Carolo, Veronica Bernabucci, Luchino Chessa, Maria Luisa Russo, Giorgio Maria Saracco, Marzia Montalbano, Barbara Menzaghi, Giovanni Di Perri, Adriano Lazzarin, Silvia La Monica, Raffaele Bruno, Gian Ludovico Rapaccini, Mario U. Mondelli, Anna Maria Schimizzi, Caterina Pasquazzi, Maurizia Rossana Brunetto, Antonio Craxì, Filomena Morisco, Carmela Lo Guercio, Vania Giacomet, Alessia Giorgini, Mario Masarone, Francesca Paolo Russo, T. Zolfino, Vincenzo Sangiovanni, Alessia Ciancio, Antonella d'Arminio Monforte, Savino Bruno, E.M. Erne, Antonio Gasbarrini, Francesco Castelli, Sergio Novara, G. Nardone, Andrea De Luca, Claudio Maria Mastroianni, Gioacchino Angarano, Chiara Dentone, Renato Maserati, Anna Maria Piscaglia, Tiziana Quirino, Giuseppe Tarantino, M. Lichtner, Antonio Chirianni, Giuseppina Brancaccio, S. Paganin, Alfredo Alberti, Silvia Corradori, Edoardo G. Giannini, Carlo Torti, Chiara Boarini, Raffaele Cozzolongo, Marco Di Stefano, Alessandro Soria, Paolo Tundi, Giovanni Cassola, Debora Angrisani, Antonio Grieco, Cecilia Pravadelli, Giuliano Rizzardini, Roberto Gulminetti, Vincenzo Messina, Maria Rendina, Massimo Pirisi, Irene Cacciola, Roberto Ganga, Raffaella Lionetti, Paolo Calabrese, Laura Ponti, Filomena Simeone, Maurizio Russello, Monica Monti, Nicola Boffa, Pierluigi Tarquini, Franco Capra, Ivo Avancini, Domenico Sansonno, Stefano Fagiuoli, Michele Barone, Giacomo Vecchiet, Salvatore Rizzo, Carlo Federico Perno, Teresa Santantonio, Pierluigi Toniutto, Massimo Zuin, Nicola Caporaso, Alessandra Orlandini, Grazielle Marie Pigozzi, Martina Felder, Antonio Cristaudo, Roberto Cecere, Massimo Marignani, Vincenza Calvaruso, G. Abbati, Domenico Potenza, Maria Chiara Piras, Mario Rizzetto, Serena Cima, Marco delle Monache, Alessio Aghemo, D. Ieluzzi, Guglielmo Borgia, Giampaolo Corti, Paolo Poggio, Manuela Merli, Elena Danieli, Andrea Giacometti, Massimo Andreoni, Antonino Picciotto, Mario Angelico, Benedetta Canovari, Sara Piovesan, Anna Linda Zignego, Antonio Benedetti, Emanuele Durante, Erica Villa, Marcello Persico, Antonio Patrizio Termite, Barbara Coco, Maria Vinci, Lucio Boglione, Cristina Rossi, Paolo Angeli, Massimo Memoli, Maria Teresa Giordani, Massimo De Luca, Luisa Pasulo, Vincenzo Vullo, Mario Melazzini, Attilio Solinas, Pietro Gatti, Michele Guerra, Silvia Martini, Antonio Ascione, Massimo Puoti, Roberto Cauda, Giovanna Onnelli, Silvia Magnani, Salvatore Madonna, Giovanni Raimondo, Marco Tabone, Gloria Taliani, Dante Romagnoli, Aldo Marrone, Umberto Vespasiani Gentilucci, Luca Miele, Marcello Tavio, Andrea Antinori, Giampiero D'Offizi, Mirella Onofrio, Valentina Iodice, Lucio Cosco, Guido Piai, Luca Pani, Francesca Ceccherini Silberstein, Simona Montilla, Marco Lenzi, Luca Fontanella, Alessandro Federico, Carlo Ferrari, Giustino Parruti, Antonio Di Biagio, Gabriella Verucchi, Fabio Marsetti, Michele Milella, Maria Grazia Rumi, Antonio Izzi, Marco Marzioni, Francesca Donato, Vanni Borghi, Mariano Quartini, Massimo Colombo, Michele Imparato, Giovanni Battista Gaeta, P.L. Blanc, Alfredo Di Leo, Nicola Coppola, Alessandro Chiodera, Ivana Maida, Davide Campagnolo, Cinzia Antonini, Antonietta Romano, A. Gianstefani, Katia Falasca, Massimo Levrero, Gaetano Serviddio, Maria Paola Trotta, Olivia Morelli, Salvatore Petta, Elisabetta Teti, Maria Rita Parisi, Pietro Andreone, Ascione, Antonio, De Luca, Massimo, Melazzini, Mario, Montilla, Simona, Trotta, Maria Paola, Petta, Salvatore, Puoti, Massimo, Sangiovanni, Vincenzo, Messina, Vincenzo, Bruno, Savino, Izzi, Antonio, Villa, Erica, Aghemo, Alessio, Zignego, Anna Linda, Orlandini, Alessandra, Fontanella, Luca, Gasbarrini, Antonio, Marzioni, Marco, Giannini, Edoardo G., Craxì, Antonio, Abbati, Giuseppe, Alberti, Alfredo, Andreone, Pietro, Andreoni, Massimo, Angeli, Paolo, Angelico, Mario, Angarano, Gioacchino, Angrisani, Debora, Antinori, Andrea, Antonini, Cinzia, Avancini, Ivo, Barone, Michele, Bruno, Raffaele, Benedetti, Antonio, Bernabucci, Veronica, Blanc, Pier, Boarini, Chiara, Boffa, Nicola, Boglione, Lucio, Borghi, Vanni, Borgia, Guglielmo, Brancaccio, Giuseppina, Brunetto, Maurizia, Cacciola, Irene, Calabrese, Paolo, Calvaruso, Vincenza, Campagnolo, Davide, Canovari, Benedetta, Caporaso, Nicola, Capra, Franco, Carolo, Giada, Cassola, Giovanni, Castelli, Francesco, Cauda, Roberto, Silberstein, Francesca Ceccherini, Cecere, Roberto, Chessa, Luchino, Chiodera, Alessandro, Chirianni, Antonio, Ciancio, Alessia, Cima, Serena, Coco, Barbara, Colombo, Massimo, Coppola, Nicola, Corti, Giampaolo, Cosco, Lucio, Corradori, Silvia, Cozzolongo, Raffaele, Cristaudo, Antonio, Danieli, Elena, Monforte, Antonella D’Arminio, Monache, Marco delle, Del Poggio, Paolo, de Luca, Andrea, Dentone, Chiara, Di Biagio, Antonio, Di Leo, Alfredo, Di Perri, Giovanni, Di Stefano, Marco, D’Offizi, Giampiero, Donato, Francesca, Durante, Emanuele, Erne, Elke, Fagiuoli, Stefano, Falasca, Katia, Federico, Alessandro, Felder, Martina, Ferrari, Carlo, Gaeta, Giovanni Battista, Ganga, Roberto, Gatti, Pietro, Giacomet, Vania, Giacometti, Andrea, Gianstefani, Alice, Giordani, Maria, Giorgini, Alessia, Grieco, Antonio, Guerra, Michele, Gulminetti, Roberto, Ieluzzi, Donatella, Imparato, Michele, Iodice, Valentina, La Monica, Silvia, Lazzarin, Adriano, Lenzi, Marco, Levrero, Massimo, Lichtner, Myriam, Lionetti, Raffaella, Guercio, Carmela Lo, Madonna, Salvatore, Magnani, Silvia, Maida, Ivana, Marignani, Massimo, Marrone, Aldo, Marsetti, Fabio, Martini, Silvia, Masarone, Mario, Maserati, Renato, Mastroianni, Claudio Maria, Memoli, Massimo, Menzaghi, Barbara, Merli, Manuela, Miele, Luca, Milella, Michele, Mondelli, Mario, Montalbano, Marzia, Monti, Monica, Morelli, Olivia, Morisco, Filomena, Nardone, Gaetano, Novara, Sergio, Onnelli, Giovanna, Onofrio, Mirella, Paganin, Simona, Pani, Luca, Parisi, Maria Rita, Parruti, Giustino, Pasquazzi, Caterina, Pasulo, Luisa, Perno, Carlo Federico, Persico, Marcello, Piai, Guido, Picciotto, Antonino, Pigozzi, Grazielle Marie, Piovesan, Sara, Piras, Maria Chiara, Pirisi, Massimo, Piscaglia, Anna Maria, Ponti, Laura, Potenza, Domenico, Pravadelli, Cecilia, Quartini, Mariano, Quirino, Tiziana, Raimondo, Giovanni, Rapaccini, Gian Ludovico, Rendina, Maria, Rizzardini, Giuliano, Rizzetto, Mario, Rizzo, Salvatore, Romagnoli, Dante, Romano, Antonietta, Rossi, Cristina, Rumi, Maria Grazia, Russello, Maurizio, Russo, Francesca Paolo, Russo, Maria Luisa, Sansonno, Domenico Ettore, Santantonio, Teresa Antonia, Saracco, Giorgio, Schimizzi, Anna Maria, Serviddio, Gaetano, Simeone, Filomena, Solinas, Attilio, Soria, Alessandro, Tabone, Marco, Taliani, Gloria, Tarantino, Giuseppe, Tarquini, Pierluigi, Tavio, Marcello, Termite, Antonio, Teti, Elisabetta, Toniutto, Pierluigi, Torti, Carlo, Tundi, Paolo, Vecchiet, Giacomo, Verucchi, Gabriella, Gentilucci, Umberto Vespasiani, Vinci, Maria, Vullo, Vincenzo, Zolfino, Teresa, Zuin, Massimo, Ascione, A, De Luca, M, Melazzini, M, Montilla, S, Trotta, M, Petta, S, Puoti, M, Sangiovanni, V, Messina, V, Bruno, S, Izzi, A, Villa, E, Aghemo, A, Zignego, A, Orlandini, A, Fontanella, L, Gasbarrini, A, Marzioni, M, Giannini, E, Craxi, A, Abbati, G, Alberti, A, Andreone, P, Andreoni, M, Angeli, P, Angelico, M, Angarano, G, Angrisani, D, Antinori, A, Antonini, C, Avancini, I, Barone, M, Bruno, R, Benedetti, A, Bernabucci, V, Blanc, P, Boarini, C, Boffa, N, Boglione, L, Borghi, V, Borgia, G, Brancaccio, G, Brunetto, M, Cacciola, I, Calabrese, P, Calvaruso, V, Campagnolo, D, Canovari, B, Caporaso, N, Capra, F, Carolo, G, Cassola, G, Castelli, F, Cauda, R, Silberstein, F, Cecere, R, Chessa, L, Chiodera, A, Chirianni, A, Ciancio, A, Cima, S, Coco, B, Colombo, M, Coppola, N, Corti, G, Cosco, L, Corradori, S, Cozzolongo, R, Cristaudo, A, Danieli, E, Monforte, A, Monache, M, Del Poggio, P, de Luca, A, Dentone, C, Di Biagio, A, Di Leo, A, Di Perri, G, Di Stefano, M, D'Offizi, G, Donato, F, Durante, E, Erne, E, Fagiuoli, S, Falasca, K, Federico, A, Felder, M, Ferrari, C, Gaeta, G, Ganga, R, Gatti, P, Giacomet, V, Giacometti, A, Gianstefani, A, Giordani, M, Giorgini, A, Grieco, A, Guerra, M, Gulminetti, R, Ieluzzi, D, Imparato, M, Iodice, V, La Monica, S, Lazzarin, A, Lenzi, M, Levrero, M, Lichtner, M, Lionetti, R, Guercio, C, Madonna, S, Magnani, S, Maida, I, Marignani, M, Marrone, A, Marsetti, F, Martini, S, Masarone, M, Maserati, R, Mastroianni, C, Memoli, M, Menzaghi, B, Merli, M, Miele, L, Milella, M, Mondelli, M, Montalbano, M, Monti, M, Morelli, O, Morisco, F, Nardone, G, Novara, S, Onnelli, G, Onofrio, M, Paganin, S, Pani, L, Parisi, M, Parruti, G, Pasquazzi, C, Pasulo, L, Perno, C, Persico, M, Piai, G, Picciotto, A, Pigozzi, G, Piovesan, S, Piras, M, Pirisi, M, Piscaglia, A, Ponti, L, Potenza, D, Pravadelli, C, Quartini, M, Quirino, T, Raimondo, G, Rapaccini, G, Rendina, M, Rizzardini, G, Rizzetto, M, Rizzo, S, Romagnoli, D, Romano, A, Rossi, C, Rumi, M, Russello, M, Russo, F, Russo, M, Sansonno, D, Santantonio, T, Saracco, G, Schimizzi, A, Serviddio, G, Simeone, F, Solinas, A, Soria, A, Tabone, M, Taliani, G, Tarantino, G, Tarquini, P, Tavio, M, Termite, A, Teti, E, Toniutto, P, Torti, C, Tundi, P, Vecchiet, G, Verucchi, G, Gentilucci, U, Vinci, M, Vullo, V, Zolfino, T, and Zuin, M

Subjects
Cyclopropanes, Liver Cirrhosis, Male, Cirrhosis, Dasabuvir, Elderly, Ombitasvir, Paritaprevir, Aged, 80 and over, Anilides, Antiviral Agents, Biomarkers, Carbamates, Female, Hepacivirus, Hepatitis C, Chronic, Humans, Macrocyclic Compounds, Ribavirin, Ritonavir, Sulfonamides, Treatment Outcome, Uracil, Drug Therapy, Combination, Genotype, Cirrhosis, Dasabuvir, Elderly, Ombitasvir, Paritaprevir, Microbiology (medical), Infectious Diseases, Aged, 80 and over, Hepatitis C, Chronic, Drug Therapy, Combination, Microbiology (medical), Infectious Diseases, Gastroenterology, chemistry.chemical_compound, 0302 clinical medicine, 2-Naphthylamine, Medicine, 030212 general & internal medicine, Valine, General Medicine, 030211 gastroenterology & hepatology, Macrocyclic Compound, medicine.drug, Human, medicine.medical_specialty, Proline, Lactams, Macrocyclic, Settore MED/12 - GASTROENTEROLOGIA, Liver Cirrhosi, Sulfonamide, 03 medical and health sciences, Internal medicine, Decompensation, Hepatitis, Antiviral Agent, Cirrhosi, Hepaciviru, business.industry, Settore MED/09 - MEDICINA INTERNA, Anilide, Biomarker, medicine.disease, chemistry, Carbamate, business
Abstract

Purpose: To analyse safety and efficacy of treatment based on ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir/dasabuvir plus ribavirin in the sub-group of GT1 patients older than 65years. Methods: We collected data extracted from the ABACUS compassionate-use nationwide Italian programme, in patients with cirrhosis due to hepatitis C virus (HCV) Genotype-1 (GT1) or 4 and at high risk of decompensation. GT1-HCV-infected patients received once-daily ombitasvir/paritaprevir, with the pharmacokinetic enhancer ritonavir (25/150/100mg) and twice-daily dasabuvir (250mg) plus Ribavirin (RBV) (OBV/PTV/r + DSV + RBV) for 12 (GT1b) or 24 (GT1a) weeks. Endpoints were to evaluate safety and efficacy, the latter defined as HCV RNA negative 12weeks after the end of treatment (SVR12). Results: Patients who suffered any adverse event (AE) were 74/240 (30.8%); 13/240 (5.4%) discontinued the treatment. A multivariate analysis found albumin < 3.5g/dL (OR 2.04: 95% CI 1.0–4.2, p < 0.05) and hypertension (OR 4.6: 95% CI 2.3–9.2, p < 0.001) as variables independently associated with AE occurrence. The SVR12 was 95% (228/240). Multivariate analysis identified baseline bilirubin < 2mg/dL (OR 4.9: 95% CI 1.17–20.71, p = 0.029) as the only variable independently associated with SVR12. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that OBV/PTV/r + DSV + RBV is safe and effective in real-life use in patients with compensated cirrhosis, HCV-GT1 infection, and age over 65.

Published
2018

7. Ombitasvir, paritaprevir, and ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir, plus ribavirin for patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 1 or 4 infection with cirrhosis (ABACUS): a prospective observational study

Author

Petta, Salvatore, Marzioni, Marco, Russo, Pierluigi, Aghemo, Alessio, Alberti, Alfredo, ASCIONE, ANTONIO, Antinori, Andrea, Bruno, Raffaele, Bruno, Savino, Chirianni, Antonio, Gaeta, Giovanni Battista, Giannini, Edoardo G, Merli, Manuela, Messina, Vincenzo, Montilla, Simona, Perno, Carlo Federico, Puoti, Massimo, Raimondo, Giovanni, Rendina, Maria, Silberstein, Francesca Ceccherini, Villa, Erica, Zignego, Anna Linda, Pani, Luca, Craxì, Antonio, Tabone, Marco, Andreoni, Massimo, Teti, Elisabetta, Angelico, Mario, Persico, Marcello, Masarone, Mario, Chiodera, Aledssandro, Solinas, Attilio, delle Monache, Marco, Cecere, Roberto, Maria Schimizzi, Anna, Piovesan, Sara, Campagnolo, Davide, Chiara Piras, Maria, Zolfino, Teresa, Paolo Russo, Francesca, Morelli, Olivia, Sangiovanni, Vincenzo, Onofrio, Mirella, Iodice, Valentina, Izzi, Antonio, Pirisi, Massimo, Danieli, Elena, Vinci, Maria, Rizzardini, Giuliano, Fagiuoli, Stefano, Pasulo, Luisa, D'Arminio Monforte, Antonella, Zuin, Massimo, Giorgini, Alessia, Simeone, Filomena, Piali, Guido, Lo Guercio, Carmela, Federico, Alessandro, Brancaccio, Giuseppina, Marrone, Aldo, Abbati, Giuseppe, Boarini, Chiara, Borghi, Vanni, Bernabucci, Veronica, Corti, Giampaolo, Monti, Monica, Rizzetto, Mario, Martini, Silvia, Andreone, Pietro, Gianstefani, Alice, Lenzi, Marco, Verucchi, Gabriella, Toniutto, Pierluigi, Borgia, Guglielmo, Caporaso, Nicola, Morisco, Filomena, Nardone, Gaetano, Angrisani, Debora, Giacometti, Andrea, Benedetti, Antonio, Tarantino, Giuseppe, Marsetti, Fabio, Tavio, Marcello, Novara, Sergio, Antonia Santantonio, Teresa, Serviddio, Gaetano, Brunetto, Maurizia, Coco, Barbara, Angarano, Gioacchino, Milella, Michele, BARONE, MICHELE, Di Leo, Alfredo, Ettore Sansonno, Domenico, Cacciola, Irene, Boffa, Nicola, Saracco, Giorgio, Di Biagio, Antonio, Picciotto, Antonino, de Luca, Andrea, Calvaruso, Vincenza, Corradori, Silvia, Ferrari, Carlo, Orlandini, Alessandra, Maida, Ivana, Torti, Carlo, Chessa, Luchino, Felder, Martina, Vespasiani Gentilucci, Umberto, Angeli, Paolo, Romano, Antonietta, Ludovico Rapaccini, Gian, Miele, Luca, Cima, Serena, Luisa Russo, Maria, Cozzolongo, Raffaele, Onnelli, Giovanna, D'Offizi, Giampiero, Lionetti, Raffaella, Montalbano, Marzia, Guerra, Michele, Di Perri, Giovanni, Boglione, Lucio, Capra, Franco, Carolo, Giada, Ieluzzi, Donatella, Antonini, Cinzia, Termite, Antonio, Madonia, Salvatore, Tarquini, Pierluigi, Parruti, Giustino, Vecchiet, Giacomo, Falasca, Katia, Menzaghi, Barbara, Quirino, Tiziana, Dentone, Chiara, Maria Piscaglia, Anna, Rossi, Cristina, Giordani, Maria, Fontanella, Luca, Cassola, Giovanni, Russello, Maurizio, Cristaudo, Antonio, Giacomet, Vania, Colombo, Massimo, Donato, Francesca, Durante, Emanuele, Cosco, Lucio, Marignani, Massimo, Quartini, Mariano, Memoli, Massimo, Ganga, Roberto, Ponti, Laura, Soria, Alessandro, Grazia Rumi, Maria, Gulminetti, Roberto, Maserati, Renato, Mondelli, Mario, Lazzarin, Adriano, Rita Parisi, Maria, Canovari, Benedetta, Avancini, Ivo, Pravadelli, Cecilia, Blanc, Pier, Pasquazzi, Caterina, Maria Mastroianni, Claudio, Lichtner, Myriam, Distefano, Marco, Magnani, Silvia, Paganin, Simona, Erne, Elke, Gatti, Pietro, Tundi, Paolo, Calabrese, Paolo, Gasbarrini, Antonio, Grieco, Antonio, Coppola, Nicola, Del Poggio, Paolo, Levrero, Massimo, Talliani, Gloria, Vullo, Vincenzo, Cauda, Roberto, La Monica, Silvia, Potenza, Domenico, Rizzo, Salvatore, Castelli, Francesco, Marie Pigozzi, Grazielle, Ciancio, Alessia, Romagnoli, Dante, Barchetti, Federica, Ivanovic, Jelena, Longo, Olimpia, Petraglia, Sandra, Paola Trotta, Maria, NARDONE, GERARDO ANTONIO PIO, Petta, Salvatore, Marzioni, Marco, Russo, Pierluigi, Aghemo, Alessio, Alberti, Alfredo, Ascione, Antonio, Antinori, Andrea, Bruno, Raffaele, Bruno, Savino, Chirianni, Antonio, Gaeta, Giovanni Battista, Giannini, Edoardo G, Merli, Manuela, Messina, Vincenzo, Montilla, Simona, Perno, Carlo Federico, Puoti, Massimo, Raimondo, Giovanni, Rendina, Maria, Silberstein, Francesca Ceccherini, Villa, Erica, Zignego, Anna Linda, Pani, Luca, Craxì, Antonio, Tabone, Marco, Andreoni, Massimo, Teti, Elisabetta, Angelico, Mario, Persico, Marcello, Masarone, Mario, Chiodera, Aledssandro, Solinas, Attilio, delle Monache, Marco, Cecere, Roberto, Maria Schimizzi, Anna, Piovesan, Sara, Campagnolo, Davide, Chiara Piras, Maria, Zolfino, Teresa, Paolo Russo, Francesca, Morelli, Olivia, Sangiovanni, Vincenzo, Onofrio, Mirella, Iodice, Valentina, Izzi, Antonio, Pirisi, Massimo, Danieli, Elena, Vinci, Maria, Rizzardini, Giuliano, Fagiuoli, Stefano, Pasulo, Luisa, D'Arminio Monforte, Antonella, Zuin, Massimo, Giorgini, Alessia, Simeone, Filomena, Piali, Guido, Lo Guercio, Carmela, Federico, Alessandro, Brancaccio, Giuseppina, Marrone, Aldo, Abbati, Giuseppe, Boarini, Chiara, Borghi, Vanni, Bernabucci, Veronica, Corti, Giampaolo, Monti, Monica, Rizzetto, Mario, Martini, Silvia, Andreone, Pietro, Gianstefani, Alice, Lenzi, Marco, Verucchi, Gabriella, Toniutto, Pierluigi, Borgia, Guglielmo, Caporaso, Nicola, Morisco, Filomena, Nardone, Gaetano, Angrisani, Debora, Giacometti, Andrea, Benedetti, Antonio, Tarantino, Giuseppe, Marsetti, Fabio, Tavio, Marcello, Novara, Sergio, Antonia Santantonio, Teresa, Serviddio, Gaetano, Brunetto, Maurizia, Coco, Barbara, Angarano, Gioacchino, Milella, Michele, Barone, Michele, Di Leo, Alfredo, Ettore Sansonno, Domenico, Cacciola, Irene, Boffa, Nicola, Saracco, Giorgio, Di Biagio, Antonio, Picciotto, Antonino, de Luca, Andrea, Calvaruso, Vincenza, Corradori, Silvia, Ferrari, Carlo, Orlandini, Alessandra, Maida, Ivana, Torti, Carlo, Chessa, Luchino, Felder, Martina, Vespasiani Gentilucci, Umberto, Angeli, Paolo, Romano, Antonietta, Ludovico Rapaccini, Gian, Miele, Luca, Cima, Serena, Luisa Russo, Maria, Cozzolongo, Raffaele, Onnelli, Giovanna, D'Offizi, Giampiero, Lionetti, Raffaella, Montalbano, Marzia, Guerra, Michele, Di Perri, Giovanni, Boglione, Lucio, Capra, Franco, Carolo, Giada, Ieluzzi, Donatella, Antonini, Cinzia, Termite, Antonio, Madonia, Salvatore, Tarquini, Pierluigi, Parruti, Giustino, Vecchiet, Giacomo, Falasca, Katia, Menzaghi, Barbara, Quirino, Tiziana, Dentone, Chiara, Maria Piscaglia, Anna, Rossi, Cristina, Giordani, Maria, Fontanella, Luca, Cassola, Giovanni, Russello, Maurizio, Cristaudo, Antonio, Giacomet, Vania, Colombo, Massimo, Donato, Francesca, Durante, Emanuele, Cosco, Lucio, Marignani, Massimo, Quartini, Mariano, Memoli, Massimo, Ganga, Roberto, Ponti, Laura, Soria, Alessandro, Grazia Rumi, Maria, Gulminetti, Roberto, Maserati, Renato, Mondelli, Mario, Lazzarin, Adriano, Rita Parisi, Maria, Canovari, Benedetta, Avancini, Ivo, Pravadelli, Cecilia, Blanc, Pier, Pasquazzi, Caterina, Maria Mastroianni, Claudio, Lichtner, Myriam, Distefano, Marco, Magnani, Silvia, Paganin, Simona, Erne, Elke, Gatti, Pietro, Tundi, Paolo, Calabrese, Paolo, Gasbarrini, Antonio, Grieco, Antonio, Coppola, Nicola, Del Poggio, Paolo, Levrero, Massimo, Talliani, Gloria, Vullo, Vincenzo, Cauda, Roberto, La Monica, Silvia, Potenza, Domenico, Rizzo, Salvatore, Castelli, Francesco, Marie Pigozzi, Grazielle, Ciancio, Alessia, Romagnoli, Dante, Barchetti, Federica, Ivanovic, Jelena, Longo, Olimpia, Petraglia, Sandra, Paola Trotta, Maria, Petta, S., Marzioni, M., Russo, P., Aghemo, A., Alberti, A., Ascione, A., Antinori, A., Bruno, R., Bruno, S., Chirianni, A., Gaeta, G., Giannini, E., Merli, M., Messina, V., Montilla, S., Perno, C., Puoti, M., Raimondo, G., Rendina, M., Silberstein, F., Villa, E., Zignego, A., Pani, L., Craxi, A., Tabone, M., Andreoni, M., Teti, E., Angelico, M., Persico, M., Masarone, M., Chiodera, A., Solinas, A., delle Monache, M., Cecere, R., Maria Schimizzi, A., Piovesan, S., Campagnolo, D., Chiara Piras, M., Zolfino, T., Paolo Russo, F., Morelli, O., Sangiovanni, V., Onofrio, M., Iodice, V., Izzi, A., Pirisi, M., Danieli, E., Vinci, M., Rizzardini, G., Fagiuoli, S., Pasulo, L., D'Arminio Monforte, A., Zuin, M., Giorgini, A., Simeone, F., Piali, G., Lo Guercio, C., Federico, A., Brancaccio, G., Marrone, A., Abbati, G., Boarini, C., Borghi, V., Bernabucci, V., Corti, G., Monti, M., Rizzetto, M., Martini, S., Andreone, P., Gianstefani, A., Lenzi, M., Verucchi, G., Toniutto, P., Borgia, G., Caporaso, N., Morisco, F., Nardone, G., Angrisani, D., Giacometti, A., Benedetti, A., Tarantino, G., Marsetti, F., Tavio, M., Novara, S., Antonia Santantonio, T., Serviddio, G., Brunetto, M., Coco, B., Angarano, G., Milella, M., Barone, M., Di Leo, A., Ettore Sansonno, D., Cacciola, I., Boffa, N., Saracco, G., Di Biagio, A., Picciotto, A., de Luca, A., Calvaruso, V., Corradori, S., Ferrari, C., Orlandini, A., Maida, I., Torti, C., Chessa, L., Felder, M., Vespasiani Gentilucci, U., Angeli, P., Romano, A., Ludovico Rapaccini, G., Miele, L., Cima, S., Luisa Russo, M., Cozzolongo, R., Onnelli, G., D'Offizi, G., Lionetti, R., Montalbano, M., Guerra, M., Di Perri, G., Boglione, L., Capra, F., Carolo, G., Ieluzzi, D., Antonini, C., Termite, A., Madonia, S., Tarquini, P., Parruti, G., Vecchiet, G., Falasca, K., Menzaghi, B., Quirino, T., Dentone, C., Maria Piscaglia, A., Rossi, C., Giordani, M., Fontanella, L., Cassola, G., Russello, M., Cristaudo, A., Giacomet, V., Colombo, M., Donato, F., Durante, E., Cosco, L., Marignani, M., Quartini, M., Memoli, M., Ganga, R., Ponti, L., Soria, A., Grazia Rumi, M., Gulminetti, R., Maserati, R., Mondelli, M., Lazzarin, A., Rita Parisi, M., Canovari, B., Avancini, I., Pravadelli, C., Blanc, P., Pasquazzi, C., Maria Mastroianni, C., Lichtner, M., Distefano, M., Magnani, S., Paganin, S., Erne, E., Gatti, P., Tundi, P., Calabrese, P., Gasbarrini, A., Grieco, A., Coppola, N., Del Poggio, P., Levrero, M., Talliani, G., Vullo, V., Cauda, R., La Monica, S., Potenza, D., Rizzo, S., Castelli, F., Marie Pigozzi, G., Ciancio, A., Romagnoli, D., Barchetti, F., Ivanovic, J., Longo, O., Petraglia, S., Paola Trotta, M., Savino, Bruno, Nardone, GERARDO ANTONIO PIO, Petta, S, Marzioni, M, Russo, P, Aghemo, A, Alberti, A, Ascione, A, Antinori, A, Bruno, R, Bruno, S, Chirianni, A, Gaeta, G, Giannini, E, Merli, M, Messina, V, Montilla, S, Perno, C, Puoti, M, Raimondo, G, Rendina, M, Silberstein, F, Villa, E, Zignego, A, Pani, L, Craxì, A, and Fagiuoli, S

Subjects
Cyclopropanes, Compassionate Use Trials, Liver Cirrhosis, Male, chemistry.chemical_compound, 0302 clinical medicine, 2-Naphthylamine, HCV, direct-acting antiviral, mixed cryoglobulinemia, RBV, Anilides, 030212 general & internal medicine, Longitudinal Studies, Prospective Studies, Chronic, Adult, Aged, Antiviral Agents, Carbamates, Drug Therapy, Combination, Female, Genotype, Hepatitis C, Chronic, Humans, Macrocyclic Compounds, Middle Aged, Ribavirin, Ritonavir, Sulfonamides, Treatment Outcome, Uracil, Settore MED/12 - Gastroenterologia, Dasabuvir, HCV DAA, Gastroenterology, virus diseases, Valine, Settore MED/07 - Microbiologia e Microbiologia Clinica, Hepatitis C, Hepatology, Combination, 030211 gastroenterology & hepatology, medicine.drug, medicine.medical_specialty, Proline, Lactams, Macrocyclic, Hepatitis C virus genotype 1, Hepatitis C virus genotype 4, decompensated liver cirrhosis, antiviral therapy, dasabuvir, ombitasvir, paritaprevir, 03 medical and health sciences, Drug Therapy, Internal medicine, medicine, Decompensation, Adverse effect, business.industry, Virology, Ombitasvir, Clinical trial, chemistry, Paritaprevir, business
Abstract

Summary Background We ran a compassionate use nationwide programme (ABACUS) to provide access to ombitasvir, paritaprevir, and ritonavir, with dasabuvir, plus ribavirin for hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection and ombitasvir, paritaprevir, and ritonavir, plus ribavirin for HCV genotype 4 infection in patients with cirrhosis at high risk of decompensation while approval of these regimens was pending in Italy. Methods In this prospective observational study, we collected data from a compassionate use nationwide programme from March 17, 2014, to May 28, 2015. Patients with HCV genotype 1 infection and cirrhosis at high risk of decompensation were given coformulated ombitasvir (25 mg), paritaprevir (150 mg), and ritonavir (100 mg) once daily and dasabuvir (250 mg) twice daily for 12 weeks (patients with HCV genotype 1b infection) or 24 weeks (patients with HCV genotype 1a infection). Patients with HCV genotype 4 infection were given coformulated ombitasvir (25 mg), paritaprevir (150 mg), and ritonavir (100 mg) once per day for 24 weeks. All patients were given weight-based ribavirin. The primary efficacy endpoint was sustained virological response at week 12 after the end of treatment (SVR12), analysed by intention-to-treat. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify baseline characteristics associated with SVR12. Adverse events were recorded throughout the study. Findings 728 (96%) of 762 patients with cirrhosis who were given ombitasvir, paritaprevir, and ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir, plus ribavirin therapy for 12 or 24 weeks achieved SVR12. Logistic regression analyses identified that bilirubin concentrations of less than 2 mg/dL were associated with SVR12 (odds ratio [OR] 4·76 [95% CI 1·83–12·3]; p=0·001). 166 (23%) of 734 patients included in safety analyses had an adverse event. 25 (3%) patients discontinued treatment because of adverse events. Asthenia was the most commonly reported adverse event, occurring in 36 (5%) patients. Interpretation Our findings suggest that the safety and effectiveness of ombitasvir, paritaprevir, and ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir, plus ribavirin in patients with HCV genotype 1 or 4 infection and cirrhosis at high risk of decompensation in a real-life setting are similar to those reported in clinical trials. The concordance with clinical trials provides reassurance that the reported efficacy of this treatment in clinical trials will translate to its use in routine clinical practice. Funding Dipartimento Biomedico di Medicina Interna e Specialistica dell'Universita di Palermo.

Published
2017

8. When apperceptive agnosia is explained by a deficit of primary visual processing

Author

Cristina Sánchez-Castañeda, Neil M. Dundon, Caterina Bertini, Andrea Serino, Elisabetta Làdavas, Roberto Cecere, Serino A, Cecere R, Dundon N, Bertini C, Sanchez-Castaneda C, and Làdavas E

Subjects
Adult, Male, Visual perception, genetic structures, Cognitive Neuroscience, Experimental and Cognitive Psychology, Blindsight, Neuropsychological Tests, Visual processing, Visual memory, Orientation, medicine, Humans, Visual Pathways, Visual agnosia, Cognitive neuroscience of visual object recognition, Brain, eye diseases, Apperceptive agnosia, VISUAL FUNCTION, Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Reading, Agnosia, Visual Perception, medicine.symptom, Psychology, Color Perception, Photic Stimulation, Cognitive psychology
Abstract

Visual agnosia is a deficit in shape perception, affecting figure, object, face and letter recognition. Agnosia is usually attributed to lesions to high-order modules of the visual system, which combine visual cues to represent the shape of objects. However, most of previously reported agnosia cases presented visual field (VF) defects and poor primary visual processing. The present case-study aims to verify whether form agnosia could be explained by a deficit in basic visual functions, rather that by a deficit in high-order shape recognition. Patient SDV suffered a bilateral lesion of the occipital cortex due to anoxia. When tested, he could navigate, interact with others, and was autonomous in daily life activities. However, he could not recognize objects from drawings and figures, read or recognize familiar faces. He was able to recognize objects by touch and people from their voice. Assessments of visual functions showed blindness at the centre of the VF, up to almost 5°, bilaterally, with better stimulus detection in the periphery. Colour and motion perception was preserved. Psychophysical experiments showed that SDV's visual recognition deficits were not explained by poor spatial acuity or by the crowding effect. Rather a severe deficit in line orientation processing might be a key mechanism explaining SDV's agnosia. Line orientation processing is a basic function of primary visual cortex neurons, necessary for detecting "edges" of visual stimuli to build up a "primal sketch" for object recognition. We propose, therefore, that some forms of visual agnosia may be explained by deficits in basic visual functions due to widespread lesions of the primary visual areas, affecting primary levels of visual processing.

Published
2014
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9. Unseen fearful faces influence face encoding: evidence from ERPs in hemianopic patients

Author

Caterina Bertini, Elisabetta L # davas, Roberto Cecere, Martin E. Maier, Cecere R, Bertini C, Maier ME, and Làdavas E.

Subjects
Adult, Male, genetic structures, Cognitive Neuroscience, media_common.quotation_subject, EMIANOPSIA, Electroencephalography, Neuropsychological Tests, Amygdala, Cortex (anatomy), Perception, medicine, Humans, Vision test, Evoked Potentials, media_common, Aged, Facial expression, medicine.diagnostic_test, BLINDSIGHT, Vision Tests, Brain, Fear, Middle Aged, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Visual field, Facial Expression, medicine.anatomical_structure, Face, Facilitation, Visual Perception, Hemianopsia, Female, Psychology, Tomography, X-Ray Computed, Neuroscience, psychological phenomena and processes, Cognitive psychology
Abstract

Visual threat-related signals are not only processed via a cortical geniculo-striatal pathway to the amygdala but also via a subcortical colliculo-pulvinar-amygdala pathway, which presumably mediates implicit processing of fearful stimuli. Indeed, hemianopic patients with unilateral damage to the geniculo-striatal pathway have been shown to respond faster to seen happy faces in their intact visual field when unseen fearful faces were concurrently presented in their blind field [Bertini, C., Cecere, R., & Làdavas, E. I am blind, but I “see” fear. Cortex, 49, 985–993, 2013]. This behavioral facilitation in the presence of unseen fear might reflect enhanced processing of consciously perceived faces because of early activation of the subcortical pathway for implicit fear perception, which possibly leads to a modulation of cortical activity. To test this hypothesis, we examined ERPs elicited by fearful and happy faces presented to the intact visual field of right and left hemianopic patients, whereas fearful, happy, or neutral faces were concurrently presented in their blind field. Results showed that the amplitude of the N170 elicited by seen happy faces was selectively increased when an unseen fearful face was concurrently presented in the blind field of right hemianopic patients. These results suggest that when the geniculo-striate visual pathway is lesioned, the rapid and implicit processing of threat signals can enhance facial encoding. Notably, the N170 modulation was only observed in left-lesioned patients, favoring the hypothesis that implicit subcortical processing of fearful signals can influence face encoding only when the right hemisphere is intact.

Published
2014

10. Differential contribution of cortical and subcortical visual pathways to the implicit processing of emotional faces: a tDCS study

Author

Elisabetta Làdavas, Roberto Cecere, Caterina Bertini, Cecere R, Bertini C, and Ladavas E

Subjects
Adult, Male, medicine.medical_treatment, EMIANOPSIA, Emotions, Stimulation, Visual system, Affect (psychology), Visual processing, Cortex (anatomy), Reaction Time, medicine, Humans, Visual Pathways, Cerebral Cortex, Transcranial direct-current stimulation, General Neuroscience, Neural Inhibition, Articles, Electric Stimulation, Visual field, Facial Expression, medicine.anatomical_structure, Visual Perception, Facilitation, Female, Occipital Lobe, Visual Fields, Psychology, Perceptual Masking, Neuroscience, Photic Stimulation, Psychomotor Performance, Cognitive psychology
Abstract

The visual processing of emotional faces is subserved by both a cortical and a subcortical route. To investigate the specific contribution of these two functional pathways, two groups of neurologically healthy humans were tested using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). In Experiment 1, participants received sham and active cathodal-inhibitory tDCS over the left occipital cortex, while, in control Experiment 2, participants received sham and active cathodal-inhibitory tDCS over the vertex, to exclude any unspecific effect of tDCS. After tDCS, participants performed a go/no-go task responding to happy or fearful target faces presented in the left visual field, while backwardly masked faces (emotionally congruent, incongruent, or neutral) were concurrently displayed in the right visual field. After both suppressing activity in the vertex (Experiment 2) and sham stimulation (Experiment 1 and 2) a reduction of reaction times was found for pairs of emotionally congruent stimuli. However, after suppressing the activity in the left occipital cortex, the congruency-dependent response facilitation disappeared, while a specific facilitative affect was evident when masked fearful faces were coupled with happy target faces. These results parallel the performances of hemianopic patients and suggest that when the occipital cortex is damaged or inhibited, and the visual processing for emotional faces is mainly dependent on the activation of the “low road” subcortical route, fearful faces represent the only visually processed stimuli capable of facilitating a behavioral response. This effect might reflect an adaptive mechanism implemented by the brain to quickly react to potential threats before their conscious identification.

Published
2013

11. I am blind, but I 'see' fear

Author

Caterina Bertini, Elisabetta Làdavas, Roberto Cecere, Bertini C., Cecere R., and Ladavas E.

Subjects
Adult, Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations, Male, Eye Movements, Cognitive Neuroscience, media_common.quotation_subject, Emotions, Experimental and Cognitive Psychology, Blindsight, Blindness, Task (project management), Visual processing, Discrimination, Psychological, EMOTION, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Reaction Time, Contrast (vision), Humans, HEMIANOPIA, Age of Onset, media_common, Aged, Facial expression, Analysis of Variance, BLINDSIGHT, Fear, Middle Aged, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Visual field, Facial Expression, Form Perception, Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology, Facilitation, Visual Perception, Educational Status, Hemianopsia, Female, Analysis of variance, Visual Fields, Psychology, Tomography, X-Ray Computed, Photic Stimulation, Psychomotor Performance, Cognitive psychology
Abstract

The ability to process unseen emotional signals might offer an evolutionary advantage in enabling threat-detection. In the present study, patients with visual field defects, without any subjective awareness of stimuli presented in the blind field and performing at the chance level in two alternative discrimination tasks (Experiment 1), were tested with go-no go tasks where they were asked to discriminate the emotional valence (Experiment 2) or the gender (Experiment 3) of faces displayed in the intact field, during the concurrent presentation of emotional faces in the blind field. The results showed a facilitative effect when fearful faces were presented in the blind field, both when the emotional content of the stimuli was relevant (Experiment 2) and irrelevant (Experiment 3) to the task. These findings are in contrast with performances of healthy subjects and patients tested in classical blindsight investigations, who showed response facilitation for congruent pairs of emotional stimuli. The observed implicit visual processing for unseen fearful stimuli might represent an adaptive mechanism for the implementation of efficient defensive responses, probably mediated by a spared sub-cortical and short-latency pathway.

Published
2011

12. Progressive topographical disorientation: a case of focal Alzheimer's disease

Author

Dario Grossi, Angiola Maria Fasanaro, Luigi Trojano, Roberta Cecere, Sara Salzano, Grossi, Dario, Fasanaro, Am, Cecere, R, Salzano, S, and Trojano, Luigi

Subjects
Male, medicine.medical_specialty, Neurology, Dermatology, Disease, Neuropsychological Tests, Cognition, Alzheimer Disease, Memory, Orientation (mental), Orientation, Activities of Daily Living, Neural Pathways, medicine, Humans, Confusion, Neuroradiology, Memory Disorders, business.industry, Neuropsychology, Brain, Topographical disorientation, General Medicine, Middle Aged, Psychiatry and Mental health, Space Perception, Disease Progression, Neurology (clinical), Neurosurgery, medicine.symptom, Cognition Disorders, business, Neuroscience, Follow-Up Studies
Abstract

We describe a follow-up study of a patient with a selective, progressive impairment of topographical orientation. The patient's topographical difficulties were evident only in unfamiliar surroundings at the beginning of the observation period but later on they were observed even at home. Serial neuropsychological tests demonstrated a progressive impairment of visuospatial abilities with sparing of the other cognitive domains; only at the last assessment, about six years after early disturbances and three years after the first evaluation, the patient developed the typical cognitive impairments of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This case represents a focal variant of AD not previously described and suggests that the neuronal pathways underlying spatial orientation may be selectively damaged by the degenerative process.

Published
2007

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