Ricerc@Sapienza

Member of the Research Team of the Laboratory of High-Resolution EEG and Neurophysiology of Higher Functions (Scientific Responsible: Prof. Claudio Babiloni) at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer”, Sapienza University of Rome (https://web.uniroma1.it/dff/it/strutture/laboratori/laboratorio-di-neuroscienze-delle-funzioni-superiori-dell-uomo) from 2006.

Expert in the recording, analysis, and correlation of clinical, neuropsychological, electroencephalogram (qEEG), genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), structural and functional neuroimaging (MRI, fMRI) data in healthy subjects, as well as in patients with mental disorders (e.g., cognitive), with a particular interest in EEG-EMG-EKG and neuroimaging markers of neurodegenerative disorders, cognitive decline (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease – AD, Parkinson’s disease – PD, Lewy Body Dementia - LBD), and cognitive frailty in the elderly.

My research activity aims to understand the neurophysiological mechanisms of cerebral cortex activity at rest and during cognitive-motor tasks in healthy subjects (e.g., athletes) and elderly with neurodegenerative disorders, cognitive decline, and functional and cognitive frailty as revealed by EEG, TMS, and MRI techniques. One aim is to contribute to the detection and validation of EEG markers as neurophysiological biomarkers of the brain systems (ascending subcortical arousal systems) that regulate vigilance and the transition from vigilance to sleep.

I'm developing and validating protocols for home-monitoring of behavioral and physiological variables (e.g., sleep-wake cycle alteration, cognitive fluctuations, motor and cardiovascular stress load) in cognitively 'frail' elderly patients with neurodegenerative diseases. The objectives include obtaining digital indicators of cognitive-motor function, motility, cardiovascular stress, and sleep-wake cycle regulation associated with cognitive-motor deficits and cortical activity regulating vigilance and sleep. The perspective is to have green digital home telemonitoring services that limit the periodic hospital check-ups of patients, improving their quality of life and the environmental sustainability of healthcare services within the framework of Precision Medicine and Digital Healthcare. In this line, I am also working on making operational and functional an application developed to monitor the state of vigilance and attention in 'frail' elderly people with early cognitive problems.