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The neutron time of flight (n_TOF) facility at CERN is a neutron spallation source, its white neutron energy spectrum ranges from thermal to several GeV, covering the full energy range of interest for nuclear astrophysics, in particular for measurements of the neutron capture cross-section required in s-process nucleosynthesis. This contribution gives an overview on the astrophysical program made at n_TOF facility, the results and the implications will be considered.

Deficiencies in response inhibition are associated with numerous mental health conditions, warranting innovative treatments. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, modulates cortical excitability and has shown promise in improving response inhibition. However, tDCS effects on response inhibition often yield contradictory findings. Previous research emphasized the importance of inter-individual factors that are mostly ignored in conventional meta-analyses of mean effects. We aimed to fill this gap and promote the complementary use of the coefficient of variation ratio and standardized mean effects. The systematic literature search included single-session and sham-controlled tDCS studies utilizing stop-signal task or Go-NoGo tasks, analyzing 88 effect sizes from 53 studies. Considering the impact of inter-individual factors, we hypothesized that variances increase in the active versus sham tDCS. However, the results showed that variances between both groups did not differ. Additionally, analyzing standardized mean effects supported previous research showing an improvement in the stop-signal task but not in the Go-NoGo task following active tDCS. These findings suggest that inter-individual differences do not increase variances in response inhibition, implying that the heterogeneity cannot be attributed to higher variance in response inhibition during and after active tDCS. Furthermore, methodological considerations are crucial for tDCS efficacy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Despite research has massively focused on how emotions conveyed by faces are perceived, the perception of emotions' authenticity is a topic that has been surprisingly overlooked. Here, we present the Emotion Authenticity Recognition (EAR) test, a test specifically developed using dynamic stimuli depicting authentic and posed emotions to evaluate the ability of individuals to correctly identify an emotion (emotion recognition index, ER Index) and classify its authenticity (authenticity recognition index (EA Index). The EAR test has been validated on 522 healthy participants and normative values are provided. Correlations with demographic characteristics, empathy and general cognitive status have been obtained revealing that both indices are negatively correlated with age, and positively with education, cognitive status and different facets of empathy. The EAR test offers a new ecological test to assess the ability to detect emotion authenticity that allow to explore the eventual social cognitive deficit even in patients otherwise cognitively intact., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Previous studies have shown an association between cigarette use and altered resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in many large-scale networks, sometimes complemented by measures of cortical atrophy. In this study, we aimed to further explore the neural differences between smokers and healthy non-smokers through the integration of functional and structural analyses. Imaging data of fifty-two smokers and forty-five non-smokers were analyzed through an independent component analysis for group differences in rsFC. Smokers showed lower rsFC within the dorsal attention network (DAN) in the left superior and middle frontal gyrus and left superior division of the lateral occipital cortex compared to non-smokers; moreover, cigarette use was found to be associated with reduced grey matter volume in the left superior and middle frontal gyrus and right orbitofrontal cortex, partly overlapping with functional findings. Within smokers, daily cigarette consumption was positively associated with increased rsFC within the cerebellar network and the default mode network and decreased rsFC within the visual network and the salience network, while carbon monoxide level showed a positive association with increased rsFC within the sensorimotor network. Our results suggest that smoking negatively impacts rsFC within the DAN and that changes within this network might serve as a circuit-based biomarker for structural deficits., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In the human brain, paired associative stimulation (PAS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique based on Hebbian learning principles, can be used to model motor resonance, the inner activation of an observer's motor system by action observation. Indeed, the newly developed mirror PAS (m-PAS) protocol, through the repeatedly pairing of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) pulses over the primary motor cortex (M1) and visual stimuli depicting index-finger movements, allows the emergence of a new, atypical pattern of cortico-spinal excitability. In the present study, we performed two experiments to explore (a) the debated hemispheric lateralization of the action-observation network and (b) the behavioral after-effects of m-PAS, particularly concerning a core function of the MNS: automatic imitation. In Experiment 1, healthy participants underwent two sessions of m-PAS, delivered over the right and left M1. Before and after each m-PAS session, motor resonance was assessed by recording motor-evoked potentials induced by single-pulse TMS applied to the right M1 while observing contralateral (left) and ipsilateral (right) index-finger movements or static hands. In Experiment 2, participants performed an imitative compatibility task before and after the m-PAS targeting the right M1. Results showed that only m-PAS targeting the right hemisphere, non-dominant in right-handed people, induced the emergence of motor resonance for the conditioned movement, absent before the stimulation. This effect is not present when m-PAS target the M1 of the left hemisphere. Importantly, the protocol also affects behavior, modulating automatic imitation in a strictly somatotopic fashion (i.e., influencing the imitation of the conditioned finger movement). Overall, this evidence shows that the m-PAS can be used to drive new associations between the perception of actions and their corresponding motor programs, measurable both at a neurophysiological and behavioral level. At least for simple, not goal-directed, movements, the induction of motor resonance and automatic imitation effects are governed by mototopic and somatotopic rules., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) is a rare neurodegenerative disease, clinically defined by a combination of autonomic dysfunction and motor involvement, that may be predominantly extrapyramidal (MSA-P) or cerebellar (MSA-C). Although dementia is generally considered a red flag against the clinical diagnosis of MSA, in the last decade the evidence of cognitive impairment in MSA patients has been growing. Cognitive dysfunction appears to involve mainly, but not exclusively, executive functions, and may have different characteristics and progression in the two subtypes of the disease (i.e., MSA-P and MSA-C). Despite continued efforts, combining in-vivo imaging studies as well as pathological studies, the physiopathological bases of cognitive involvement in MSA are still unclear. In this view, the possible link between cardiovascular autonomic impairment and decreased cognitive performance, extensively investigated in PD, needs to be clarified as well. In the present study, we evaluated a cohort of 20 MSA patients (9 MSA-P, 11 MSA-C) by means of a neuropsychological battery, hemodynamic assessment (heart rate and arterial blood pressure) during rest and active standing and bedside autonomic function tests assessed by heart rate variability (HRV) parameters and sympathetic skin response (SSR) in the same experimental session. Overall, global cognitive functioning, as indicated by the MoCA score, was preserved in most patients. However, short- and long-term memory and attentional and frontal-executive functions were moderately impaired. When comparing MSA-P and MSA-C, the latter obtained lower scores in tests of executive functions and verbal memory. Conversely, no statistically significant difference in cardiovascular autonomic parameters was identified between MSA-P and MSA-C patients. In conclusion, moderate cognitive deficits, involving executive functions and memory, are present in MSA, particularly in MSA-C patients. In addition, our findings do not support the role of dysautonomia as a major driver of cognitive differences between MSA-P and MSA-C., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Lazzeri, Franco, Difonzo, Carandina, Gramegna, Vergari, Arienti, Naci, Scatà, Monfrini, Dias Rodrigues, Montano, Comi, Saetti, Tobaldini and Di Fonzo.)

Background: Neurological and psychiatric patients want to keep driving but several sensory, motor, and cognitive deficits could limit this purpose. However, some drivers "self-regulate" driving behavior to minimize the risk of accidents. A good predictor of this behavior seems to be the self-perceived driving ability. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the neuropsychological profile of neurological and psychiatric active drivers correlates to self-reported and caregiver-referred driving behavior., Methods: Sixty-three active drivers diagnosed with a neurological or psychiatric condition were enrolled and underwent cognitive assessment plus two behavioral questionnaires (Driver Behavior Questionnaire - DBQ and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-version 11). DBQ and IADL (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living) were also administered to thirty-nine caregivers, to assess autonomy in daily life and the frequency of errors and violations committed by drivers. Spearman's Rho non-parametric analysis was used to investigate the relationship between performances at neuropsychological tests and DBQ responses. Cohen's weighted kappa coefficient was also adopted to verify the strength of agreement between the two groups at the DBQ., Results: Results suggested an overall agreement between self-reported and caregiver-referred driving behavior; moreover, a relationship between self-referred driving behavior and impulsiveness was found. However, neuropsychological performances were not related to self-perceived driving ability., Conclusions: These results provide new insight regarding the risk of incurring road accidents and can be useful to promote a more appropriate evaluation of risk accidents in neurological and psychiatric patients., (© 2021. Fondazione Società Italiana di Neurologia.)

Background: There is an increasing need for objective and standardized assessment of testamentary capacity (TC) in dementia. A new instrument, the Testamentary Capacity Assessment Tool (TCAT), has been recently developed; however, the lack of validation and normative data regarding this cognitive screening test has limited its adoption in forensic and clinical settings. The present study collects normative data for the TCAT and assesses its convergent validity with standardized cognitive tests and the capacity to define what a 'testament' is., Methods: The study involved 323 neurologically healthy adults (123 males, 200 females) of different ages (31-93 years) and different educational levels (4-25 years). The TCAT was administered along with the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and the Testament Definition Scale (TDS)., Results: Multiple regression analyses revealed a significant effect for gender, age and education on TCAT scores. Correlation analyses showed significant associations between the TCAT and the MMSE, MoCA, FAB and BDI-II. A positive correlation between the TCAT and TDS was also found, proving good convergent validity of the TCAT with respect to TC. Finally, cut-off scores and Equivalent Scores (ES) were computed., Discussion: The present study provides normative data for using the TCAT as an adjuvant cognitive screening test in the neuropsychological evaluation of TC. Our findings shall be of interest for the adoption of the TCAT also in clinical practice, since it evaluates cognitive functions (e.g., autobiographic memory, Theory of Mind) not measured by traditional screening tests., (© 2021. Fondazione Società Italiana di Neurologia.)

Background: Patients suffering from stroke in the acute/post-acute phases often present with depressive mood - which negatively impacts on patients' prognosis. However, psychometric evaluation of mood in acute stroke patients may be challenging due to cognitive deficits. Tools investigating emotional states via a vertical analogue line may overcome language/visuo-spatial disorders. This study thus aimed at (a) investigating the clinical usability of a Visual Analogue Mood Scale (VAMS) in acute stroke patients and (b) investigating the interplay between mood and cognition in this population., Methods: Forty-one acute stroke patients were compared to 41 age-, education- and sex-matched healthy participants (HPs) on the VAMS and on cognitive measures (mental performance in acute stroke, MEPS). A control line bisection (LB) task was administered to control for potential visuo-spatial deficits in patients., Results: Patients reported higher depression levels than HPs (lower VAMS scores); this between-group difference stayed significant when covarying for LB scores. MEPS scores discriminated patients from HPs; among cognitive measures, only the Clock drawing test (CDT) was positively associated with VAMS scores. Lesion side did not affect patients' mood state; however, disease duration was inversely related to VAMS scores., Discussion: The VAMS proved to be a suitable tool for assessing mood in acute stroke patients, as being independent from post-stroke cognitive sequelae. The CDT might represent an adequate measure of depression-induced, post-stroke cognitive efficiency decrease. Mood disorders might occur and thus should be adequately addressed also in post-acute phases - likely due to longer hospitalization times and regression of anosognosic features., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: The availability of fine-grained, culture-specific psychometric outcomes can favor the interpretation of scores of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), the most frequently used instrument to screen for mild cognitive dysfunctions in both instrumental and non-instrumental domains. This study thus aimed at providing: (i) updated, region-specific norms for the Italian MoCA, by also (ii) comparing them to pre-existing ones with higher geographical coverage; (iii) information on sensitivity and discriminative capability at the item level., Methods: Five hundred and seventy nine healthy individuals from Northern Italy (208 males, 371 females; age: 63.4 ± 15, 21-96; education: 11.3 ± 4.6, 1-25) were administered the MoCA. Item Response Theory (IRT) was adopted to assess item difficulty and discrimination. Normative values were derived by means of the Equivalent Scores (ESs) method, applied to the MoCA and its sub-scales. Average ESs were also computed. Agreement with previous ESs classification was assessed via Cohen's k., Results: Age and education significantly predicted all MoCA measures except for Orientation, which was related to age only. No sex differences were detected when tested along with age and education. Substantial disagreements with previous ESs classifications were detected. Several items proved to be scarcely sensitive, especially the place item from Orientation and the letter detection task. Memory items showed high discriminative capability, along with certain items assessing executive functions and orientation., Discussion: Item-level information herewith provided for the Italian MoCA can help interpret its scores by Italian practitioners. Italian practitioners should consider an adaptive use of region-specific norms for the MoCA., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: Deficits of executive functioning (EF) are frequently found in neurological disorders. The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) is one of the most widespread and psychometrically robust EF screeners in clinical settings. However, in Italy, FAB norms date back to 15 years ago; moreover, its validity against "EF-loaded" global cognitive screeners (e.g., the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA) has yet to be tested. This study thus aimed at (a) providing updated normative data for the Italian FAB and (b) assessing its convergent validity with the MoCA., Methods: Four-hundred and seventy-five healthy Italian native speakers (306 females, 169 males; mean age: 61.08 ± 15.1; mean education: 11.67 ± 4.57) were administered by the MoCA and the FAB. FAB items were divided into three subscales: FAB-1 (linguistically mediated EF), FAB-2 (planning), and FAB-3 (inhibition). Regression-based norms were derived (equivalent scores) for all FAB measures., Results: Age and education were predictive of all FAB measures, whereas no gender differences were detected. The FAB and its sub-scales were related to MoCA measures-the strongest associations being found with MoCA total and MoCA-EF scores. FAB sub-scales were both internally related and associated with FAB total scores., Discussion: The FAB proved to have convergent validity with both global cognitive and EF measures in healthy individuals. The present study provides updated normative data for the FAB and its sub-scales in an Italian population sample, and thus supports an adaptive usage of this EF screener., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: Working memory (WM) abilities are frequently impaired in neurological disorders affecting fronto-parietal cortical/sub-cortical structures. WM deficits negatively influence interventional outcomes and everyday functioning. This study thus aimed at the following: (a) developing and standardizing an ecologically valid task for WM assessment ( Ice Cream Test, ICT); (b) validating and norming a novel WM test (Digit Ordering Test, DOT), as well as providing updated norms for digit span (DS) tasks, in an Italian population sample; (c) introducing a novel scoring procedure for measuring WM., Methods: One-hundred and sixty-eight Italian healthy participants-73 male, 95 females; age: 48.4 ± 19.1 (18-86); education: 12.1 ± 4.8 (4-21)-underwent a thorough WM assessment-DOT, ICT, and both forward and backward DS tasks (FDS, BDS). The ICT requires participants to act as waiters who have to keep track of customers' orders. For each task, WM and total (T) outcomes were computed, i.e., the number of elements in the longest sequence and that of recalled sequences, respectively. Norms were derived via the equivalent score (ES) method., Results: DS ratios (DSRs) were computed for both WM/S and T outcomes on raw DS measures (BDS divided by FDS). Age and education significantly predicted all WM tasks; sex affected FDS and DSR-T scores (males > females). WM measures were highly internally related., Discussion: The present work provides Italian practitioners with a normatively updated, multi-component, adaptive battery for WM assessment (WoMAB) as well as with novel outcomes which capture different WM facets-WM capacity and attentive monitoring abilities., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

A good water quality bio-indicator should be sensitive to different forms of water degradation in any geographical area, and effectively track water quality changes in time. We investigated whether the presence of a bird, the dipper (Cinclus cinclus), in 47 reaches of 35 streams of central Italy was affected by stream pollution as assessed by the Extended Biotic Index. Data from the literature and interviews with ornithologists furnished information about past dipper presence and water quality in the study streams. In 93.3% of cases dippers occurred in unpolluted reaches. The dipper was absent from 93.7% of polluted or strongly polluted streams. Dippers disappeared from 50% of the study streams for which past information was available. In a few streams dippers disappeared after the quality of water had degraded. Water quality degradation in the study area, especially in the hill streams, is causing dipper areale to contract to higher altitudes. Dipper is a good water quality bio-indicator for Mediterranean streams.