• Role of inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis
• Effect of ß-amyloid peptide on monocyte and microglial cultures
• Cytokine profile in biological fluids from patients with different dementing disorders
• Genetic polymorphisms in genes involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (ApoE, cytokines, chemokines and their receptors, nitric oxide synthases) as risk factors for the development of the pathology
• Expression of different estrogen receptor in Alzheimer’s disease
• Neuroendocrine mechanisms in Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis
• Study of possible biological markers in MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment) : omocysteine, ossidative stress
• Biologic tissue bank: CSF, serum, plasma and DNA from patients with different forms of cognitive impairment

Collaborations:

• Dept. of Pharmacology, Chemotherapy and Medical Tossicology – University of Milano, Italy (E. Muller, S. Cella, A. Rigamonti
• Institute of Biotechnology and Pharmacology – Department of Pharmacological Sciences – University of Milan, Italy (A. Maggi)
• Dept. of Neurology – VU University - Amsterdam, The Netherlands (P. Scheltens )
• Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Mendel Institute – S. Giovanni Rotondo, Italy (A. Pizzuti)
• IRCCS Auxologico Italiano – Milan, Italy
• Dept. of Neurology – British Columbia University, Vancouver, Canada (H. Feldman)
• Dept. of Neurology – Ospedale Sacco – Milan, Italy (C. Mariani)
• Dept. of Neurosciences – Istituto “Mario Negri” – Milan, Italy (G. Forloni)

Clinical research

• Relationship between dementia, hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors (in collaboration with IRCCS Auxologico Italiano, Milan)
• Comparative study between Rivastigmine and Donepezil
• efficacy of Galantamine
• Comparative study between Nicergoline and Rivastigmine
• Observational study on efficacy of Donepezil - DIGIS
• Observational study on efficacy of Olanzapin for the treatment of psychiatric and behavioural disorders in demented patients
• Effect of antidepressive therapy (Edronax) on cognitive impairment
• SPECT alterations in patients with MCI
• Observational study on efficacy of atypical neuroleptics in the treatment of psychiatric and behavioural disorders in demented patients (coordinator: Lombard Group for the study of BPSD – Prof. C. Mariani)