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Abstract Background Fatherhood at a young age can be characterized by a multiproblematic background with several risk factors that can negatively affect father-child relationships, the father’s well-being and child’s social-emotional development. Methods This pilot study evaluated paternal interaction styles and mentalization in a sample of 22 young fathers and their 3-month-old infants and compared these variables with those of 22 adolescent and young mothers (the fathers’ partners). Parent-infant interaction were codified with Care-Index to evaluate styles of interaction and with Mind-Mindedness system to evaluate mentalization. Results The results showed that young fathers had high scores in controlling behaviors and low scores in sensitivity, placing them in a risk range. The young father’s interaction profile did not differ from the young mother’s interaction profile. Infants had high scores in passive behaviors and low scores in cooperative behaviors, placing them in a high-risk range. Moreover, young fathers had more nonattuned mind-related comments than their partners. Conclusions The findings indicate that low responsiveness and low mind-mindedness characterize the quality of adolescent and young father-infant interactions, highlighting the value of providing early intervention to support the father–child relationship, enhancing the father’s sensitivity and his ability to keep the infant in mind.

Summary: Synaptic abnormalities are a hallmark of several neurological diseases, and clarification of the underlying mechanisms represents a crucial step toward the development of therapeutic strategies. Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder, mainly affecting females, caused by mutations in the X-linked methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) gene, leading to a deep derangement of synaptic connectivity. Although initial studies supported the exclusive involvement of neurons, recent data have highlighted the pivotal contribution of astrocytes in RTT pathogenesis through non-cell autonomous mechanisms. Since astrocytes regulate synapse formation and functionality by releasing multiple molecules, we investigated the influence of soluble factors secreted by Mecp2 knock-out (KO) astrocytes on synapses. We found that Mecp2 deficiency in astrocytes negatively affects their ability to support synaptogenesis by releasing synaptotoxic molecules. Notably, neuronal inputs from a dysfunctional astrocyte-neuron crosstalk lead KO astrocytes to aberrantly express IL-6, and blocking IL-6 activity prevents synaptic alterations.

Eighty-one adolescent and young mother-infant dyads have been divided into two groups with/without traumatic experiences in maternal history to examine the effect of maternal traumatic experiences on the quality of mother-infant relationship. At infant 3 months, mother-infant interaction was video-recorded. Results showed that adolescent and young mothers with traumatic experiences (vs. adolescent and young mothers without traumatic experiences) had less sensitive and more violent and intrusive behaviours. Infants with mothers with traumatic experiences (vs. infants with mothers without traumatic experiences) had more aggressive and reactive behaviours. Furthermore, maternal cumulative traumatic experiences predicted more negative behaviours. Findings indicated that maternal childhood traumatic experiences increased an adolescent mother's risk for maternal-child interaction problems, worsened the high-risk condition inherent in motherhood in adolescence. Understanding the effect of adolescent mother's traumatic experiences has important implications for promoting early intervention in the treatment of trauma and supporting the mother-child relationship.

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder which represents the leading cause of severe incurable intellectual disability in females worldwide. The vast majority of RTT cases are caused by mutations in the X-linked MECP2 gene, and preclinical studies on RTT largely benefit from the use of mouse models of Mecp2, which present a broad spectrum of symptoms phenocopying those manifested by RTT patients.Neurons represent the core targets of the pathology; however, neuroanatomical abnormalities that regionally characterize the Mecp2 deficient mammalian brain remain ill-defined.Neuroimaging techniques, such as MRI and MRS, represent a key approach for assessing in vivo anatomic and metabolic changes in brain. Being non-invasive, these analyses also permit to investigate how the disease progresses over time through longitudinal studies.To foster the biological comprehension of RTT and identify useful biomarkers, we have performed a thorough in vivo longitudinal study of MRI and MRS in Mecp2 deficient mouse brains. Analyses were performed on both genders of two different mouse models of RTT, using an automatic atlas-based segmentation tool that permitted to obtain a detailed and unbiased description of the whole RTT mouse brain. We found that the most robust alteration of the RTT brain consists in an overall reduction of the brain volume. Accordingly, Mecp2 deficiency generally delays brain growth, eventually leading, in heterozygous older animals, to stagnation and/or contraction. Most but not all brain regions participate in the observed deficiency in brain size; similarly, the volumetric defect progresses diversely in different brain areas also depending on the specific Mecp2 genetic lesion and gender. Interestingly, in some regions volumetric defects anticipate overt symptoms, possibly revealing where the pathology originates and providing a useful biomarker for assessing drug efficacy in pre-clinical studies.

The study examined the effectiveness of PRERAYMI (Promoting Responsiveness Emotion Regulation and Attachment in Young Mothers and Infants) attachment-based intervention programme aimed at adolescent mother-infant dyads. The intervention used video-feedback and developmental guidance to promote maternal mind-mindedness and sensitivity. 32 adolescent mother-infant dyads in the intervention group were compared to 12 adolescent mother-infant dyads in the control group. Maternal mind-mindedness and maternal/infant styles of interaction were evaluated, at the pre-treatment (infant 3 months) and at the post-treatment (infant 9 months). The results indicated the effectiveness of the intervention in enhancing mind-mindedness, with more mind-related comments and fewer non-attuned mind-related comments, maternal sensitivity and infant cooperative behaviour, and in reducing maternal controlling behaviour, in the intervention group. Changes in mother/infant interaction styles or in mind-mindedness in the control group were not detected. The attachment based medium term intervention helped to improve adolescent mother-infant relationship, which is otherwise potentially at risk.

Ataxia–Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) is a serine/threonine protein kinase principally known to orchestrate DNA repair processes upon DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Mutations in the Atm gene lead to Ataxia–Telangiectasia (AT), a recessive disorder characterized by ataxic movements consequent to cerebellar atrophy or dysfunction, along with immune alterations, genomic instability, and predisposition to cancer. AT patients show variable phenotypes ranging from neurologic abnormalities and cognitive impairments to more recently described neuropsychiatric features pointing to symptoms hardly ascribable to the canonical functions of ATM in DNA damage response (DDR). Indeed, evidence suggests that cognitive abilities rely on the proper functioning of DSB machinery and specific synaptic changes in central neurons of ATM-deficient mice unveiled unexpected roles of ATM at the synapse. Thus, in the present review, upon a brief recall of DNA damage responses, we focus our attention on the role of ATM in neuronal physiology and pathology and we discuss recent findings showing structural and functional changes in hippocampal and cortical synapses of AT mouse models. Collectively, a deeper knowledge of ATM-dependent mechanisms in neurons is necessary not only for a better comprehension of AT neurological phenotypes, but also for a higher understanding of the pathological mechanisms in neurodevelopmental and degenerative disorders involving ATM dysfunctions.

Abstract Mutations in MECP2 cause several neurological disorders of which Rett syndrome (RTT) represents the best‐defined condition. Although mainly working as a transcriptional repressor, MeCP2 is a multifunctional protein revealing several activities, the involvement of which in RTT remains obscure. Besides being mainly localized in the nucleus, MeCP2 associates with the centrosome, an organelle from which primary cilia originate. Primary cilia function as “sensory antennae” protruding from most cells, and a link between primary cilia and mental illness has recently been reported. We herein demonstrate that MeCP2 deficiency affects ciliogenesis in cultured cells, including neurons and RTT fibroblasts, and in the mouse brain. Consequently, the cilium‐related Sonic Hedgehog pathway, which is essential for brain development and functioning, is impaired. Microtubule instability participates in these phenotypes that can be rescued by HDAC6 inhibition together with the recovery of RTT‐related neuronal defects. Our data indicate defects of primary cilium as a novel pathogenic mechanism that by contributing to the clinical features of RTT might impact on proper cerebellum/brain development and functioning, thus providing a novel therapeutic target.

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that represents the most common genetic cause of severe intellectual disability in females. Most patients carry mutations in the X-linked MECP2 gene, coding for the methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2), originally isolated as an epigenetic transcriptional factor able to bind methylated DNA and repress transcription. Recent data implicated a role for glia in RTT, showing that astrocytes express Mecp2 and that its deficiency affects their ability to support neuronal maturation by non-cell autonomous mechanisms. To date, some molecular, structural and functional alterations have been attributed to Mecp2 null astrocytes, but how they evolve over time and whether they follow a spatial heterogeneity are two aspects which deserve further investigations. In this study, we assessed cytoskeletal features of astrocytes in Mecp2 deficient brains by analyzing their arbor complexity and processes in reconstructed GFAP+ cells at different ages, corresponding to peculiar stages of the disorder, and in different cerebral regions (motor and somatosensory cortices and CA1 layer of hippocampus). Our findings demonstrate the presence of defects in Mecp2 null astrocytes that worsen along disease progression and strictly depend on the brain area, highlighting motor and somatosensory cortices as the most affected regions. Of relevance, astrocyte cytoskeleton is impaired also in the somatosensory cortex of symptomatic heterozygous animals, with Mecp2+ astrocytes showing slightly more pronounced defects with respect to the Mecp2 null cells, emphasizing the importance of non-cell autonomous effects. We reported a temporal correlation between the progressive thinning of layer I and the atrophy of astrocytes, suggesting that their cytoskeletal dysfunctions might contribute to cortical defects. Considering the reciprocal link between morphology and function in astrocytes, we analyzed the effect of Mecp2 deficiency on the expression of selected astrocyte-enriched genes, which describe typical astrocytic features. qRT-PCR data corroborated our results, reporting an overall decrement of gene expression, which is area and age-dependent. In conclusion, our data show that Mecp2 deficiency causes structural and molecular alterations in astrocytes, which progress along with the severity of symptoms and diversely occur in the different cerebral regions, highlighting the importance of considering heterogeneity when studying astrocytes in RTT.

Many studies have analyzed the behavior of puppies during their socialization period, while little attention has been paid to the transitional period, when vision and hearing develop. Here, we compared the average age of sensory and motor development, and the behavior among a total of 25 puppies. Each litter was videotaped during 1-hour daily sessions on postnatal days 10-21 and coded for the following mutually exclusive behavioral categories: sleeping, suckling and moving. The moving category included side-to-side head swinging, exploring, rolling and allogrooming. The opening of the eyelids, appearance of the startle response and ability to stand up with either the front or hind legs were identified. The duration and frequency of puppy behaviors varied significantly with breed and season of birth. Breed and gender differences in gross motor and sensory development were also observed. These findings may turn out to be crucial to enhance the welfare, standards of rearing, and behavioral interventions aimed at improving adaptability to novel stimuli in pet dogs.

Può il film rivelarsi uno strumento utile a lezione di italiano L2? Quali sono i limiti ed i vantaggi dell’utilizzo di materiale audiovisivo autentico in aula? Come strutturare un’attività basata sulla visione di un film italiano in lingua originale? Quali strategie mette in atto l’apprendente per comprendere un film nella L2? “Il film a lezione di italiano L2: gli esami al cinema” cerca di rispondere a queste domande attraverso una riflessione sull’utilità del cinema a lezione e proponendo un’attività didattica basata sulla visione di sequenze tratte da film italiani. Considerando la pellicola come documento di civiltà, veicolo di una lingua viva e “in situazione” ed esperienza di apprendimento plurisensoriale, l’articolo mette in luce come l’apprendimento dell’italiano L2 possa trarre beneficio dall’utilizzo in aula di materiali audiovisivi autentici quali i film, se opportunamente selezionati e didattizzati. Dalla riflessione alla pratica: dopo aver identificato obiettivi, destinatari ed i loro bisogni linguistico-comunicativi, viene presentata un’attività basata sulla didattizzazione di tre sequenze che hanno come tema centrale l’esame universitario orale. Ponendo i bisogni linguistico-comunicativi dei discenti al centro si scoprirà che, se opportunamente didattizzato, un film o parte di esso può trasformarsi in materiale didattico estremamente utile ai fini dell’apprendimento di una L2, nonché fonte inesauribile di spunti a partire dai quali l’insegnante può creare attività didattiche originali e stimolanti non solo linguistiche ma anche interculturali. Movies during italian l2 lessons: exams at the cinemaAre movies useful tools during Italian L2 lessons? What are the limits and advantages of using authentic audio-visual materials in the classroom? How can an activity based on viewing an Italian film in the original language be structured? What strategies do learners use to understand movies in L2? “Movies during Italian L2 Lessons: exams at the cinema” tries to answer these questions regarding the use of films in class and proposes an activity using clips from Italian films. Movies are social documents, vehicles for experiencing living, “situated” language and multi-sensory learning. The article sheds light on how L2 classes can benefit from the use of authentic audio-visual materials such as movies if properly selected and didacticized. From reflection to practice: after identifying objectives, target groups and their linguistic and communicative needs, an activity based on the using three didacticized clips centered on university oral exams is presented. Putting the linguistic-communicative needs of learners at the center shows that, if properly didacticized, a film or a clip constitutes extremely useful educational material for L2 learning, as well as an inexhaustible source of ideas from which the teacher can create original and stimulating educational activities which are not only linguistic but also intercultural.