BRAIN (Basic Research And Integrative Neuroscience) CENTER FOR NEUROSCIENCE, University of Trieste

THE ACTING BRAIN LAB: CORTICAL NEUROPHYSIOLOGY AND BRAIN IMAGING

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF TRIESTE
Via Fleming 22
34127 Trieste - ITALY

Tel int + 39 040 5587183 Fax int + 39 040 567862

The main research project concerns the use of TMS (transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) in order to obtain information on the involvement of cortical areas of the parietal and frontal lobes in tasks regarding visuo-motor integration, coordinate transformation and movement planning. A second will combine the use of EEG and TMS in order to explore cortico-cortical connectivity in relation to the planning of reaching movements. A third project will use NIRS (Near Infra-Red Spettroscopy) and fMRI techniques in order to study the involvement of surface and deep brain structure in the edonistic and cognitive processing of taste information.

RESEARCHERS:

GENERAL INFORMATIONS

Laboratory is located in the FC building, at a short walking distance from the University main buildings. (See the map ).

Responsible of the Lab:

Piero Paolo Battaglini, MD, was born in Florence on July 14, 1951. He is full professor in Physiology at the University of Trieste, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. He has more than twenty years of experience in the field of neuroanatomy (qualified in the histological treatment of thin slices of cerebral tissue, reconstruction of the anatomical structure, identification of neural projections both as fibres and as endings) as well as in the field of electrophysiology (recording of the bio-electrical activity of single cells, recording of eye movements, reconstruction of patterns of neural discharge), together with a well-established ability in dealing with non-human primates and training them in carrying out visuomotor tasks in rapid succession. In the recent years he has directed a research project in humans, based on electroencephalographic, magnetic resonance and source analysis techniques. The project concerned the study of cortical involvement in the preparation and execution of visually triggered reaching and grasping movements. Actually he is invoved in a TMS and EEG study of cortical activity in the preparation and execution of reaching movements.


SELECTED PUBBLICATIONS:
-- Naranjo JR, Brovelli A, Longo R, Budai R, Kristeva R, Battaglini PP. EEG dynamics of the frontoparietal network during reaching preparation in humans. Neuroimage, 34: 1673-1682 (2007)
-- Carriero L, Zalla T, Budai R, Battaglini PP. Inhibition of wrong responses and conflict resolution: an EEG study. Neuroreport, 18: 793-796 (2007)
-- Battaglini PP, Bernardis P, Bruno N. At least some electrophysiological and behavioural data cannot be reconciled with the planning-control model. Behavioural Brain Sciences 27 (1): 22-23 (2004).
-- BATTAGLINI P.P., MUZUR A., SKRAP M. (2003). Visuomotor deficits and fast recovery after area V6A lesion in monkeys. BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH. vol. 139, pp. 115-122
-- BATTAGLINI P.P., MUZUR A., GALLETTI C., SKRAP M, BROVELLI A., FATTORI P. (2002). Effects Of Lesions To Area V6a In Monkeys. EXPERIMENTAL BRAIN RESEARCH. vol. 144, pp. 419-422
-- BROVELLI A., BATTAGLINI P.P., NARANJO J.R., BUDAI R. (2002). Medium-Range Oscillatory Network and the 20-Hz Sensorimotor Induced Potential. NEUROIMAGE. vol. 16, pp. 130-141.

The lab is also involved in education and promotion of Neuroscience: Brain Awareness Week and Neuroscience cafè are among its activities.
It is partner in education of the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, the Society for Neuroscience and the Comitato per la Promozione delle Neuroscienze.