title: Effects of Anti-NMDA Antibodies on Functional Recovery and Synaptic Rearrangement Following Hemicerebellectomy.
abstract: The compensation that follows cerebellar lesions is based on synaptic modifications in many cortical and subcortical regions, although its cellular mechanisms are still unclear. Changes in glutamatergic receptor expression may represent the synaptic basis of the compensated state. We analyzed in rats the involvement of glutamatergic system of the cerebello-frontal network in the compensation following a right hemicerebellectomy. We evaluated motor performances, spatial competencies and molecular correlates in compensated hemicerebellectomized rats which in the frontal cortex contralateral to the hemicerebellectomy side received injections of anti-NMDA antibodies from patients affected by anti-NMDA encephalitis. In the compensated hemicerebellectomized rats, the frontal injections of anti-NMDA antibodies elicited a marked decompensation state characterized by slight worsening of the motor symptoms as well as severe impairment of spatial mnesic and procedural performances. Conversely, in the sham-operated group the frontal injections of anti-NMDA antibodies elicited slight motor and spatial impairment. The molecular analyses indicated that cerebellar compensatory processes were related to a relevant rearrangement of glutamatergic synapses (NMDA and AMPA receptors and other glutamatergic components) along the entire cortico-cerebellar network. The long-term maintenance of the rearranged glutamatergic activity plays a crucial role in the maintenance of recovered function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University "Sapienza" of Rome, via dei Marsi 78, 00185, Rome, Italy. daniela.laricchiuta@uniroma1.it.|IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143, Rome, Italy. daniela.laricchiuta@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Laricchiuta
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Virve
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cavallucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University "Sapienza" of Rome, via dei Marsi 78, 00185, Rome, Italy.|IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Debora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cutuli
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143, Rome, Italy.|Department of Sociological and Psychopedagogical Studies, University "Guglielmo Marconi" of Rome, Via Plinio 44, 00193, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Bartolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University "Sapienza" of Rome, via dei Marsi 78, 00185, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Caporali
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University "Sapienza" of Rome, via dei Marsi 78, 00185, Rome, Italy.|IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Foti
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Finke
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143, Rome, Italy.|Department of Medicine, University Campus-Biomedico, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Amelio
authors.affiliation: Unité d'Etude du Mouvement, FNRS Neurologie, ULB Erasme, 808 Route de Lennik, 1070, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manto
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University "Sapienza" of Rome, via dei Marsi 78, 00185, Rome, Italy.|IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Petrosini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000601:surgery*; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000378:metabolism; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D016202:N-Methylaspartate
keywords: Anti-NMDA encephalitis; Cerebellar compensation; Glutamate receptors; Morris water maze; Postural and motor behaviors; Rat