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Mission

Purpose of our work is to investigate the biological mechanisms with which various types of stress affect the individual, its effects on the behavior, and its neural and biochemical consequences, with the aim to identify behavioral, electrophysiological, biochemical and pharmacological methods to minimize the negative effects of stress in the mammal, and –eventually-in humans.

Types of stress and biological response

Different types of stress such as a pathogen infection, exposure to extreme temperature, physical overwork, aggressive workplace, and other inadecuate psychological environment may induce surprisingly similar biological response, involving the central nervous system (CNS), and various peripheral systems, particularly the immune and the endocrine system. For this reason we refer to an integrated “neuro-inmune-endocrine” system.

Animal models

Our laboratory uses different types of animal models in order to measure the effects at the celular, synaptic, and other neuronal response in animals subjected to stress in their pre- peri- and post-natal period.

Ilnesses and conditions

  • major depression

  • schizoprenic psychoses

  • autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

  • epilepsy

  • post-traumatic stress disorder

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