Molecular diagnostics and therapy

MRI:
Principles and methods that underpin Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
MRI methodology, and the molecular basis for endogenous contrasts.
Anatomical Imaging and MRI.
Advanced applications: fMRI, Diffusion weighted imaging, Perfusion studies, Spectroscopy.
Clinical example for different pathologies.

Nuclear based techniques:
Principles and methods of single photon emission tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET) imaging procedures.
The course will include a description of the most important and innovative radiopharmaceuticals for Nuclear Medicine in CNS imaging studies as well as the importance of quality control involved in clinical molecular imaging.
Image analysis methods will be presented with particular attention to Statistical Parametric Mapping.
Examples in different clinical pathologies will be presented.

Molecular basis of inherited neurological disorders, including motor neuron diseases and metabolic encephalopathies.
Genetics of spinal muscular atrophies, SMN-related SMA, Spinal muscular atrophies with respiratory distress, Progressive myoclonic epilepsy-SMA and others.
Genetics of familial Amyotrohic Lateral Sclerosis and overlap with Fronto-Temporal Dementia.
Mendelian and matrilinear genetics of mitochondrial encephalomyopathies.
Disorders of glucose and glycogen metabolism affecting brain and skeletal muscle.
Principles and application of gene therapy to recessive inherited disorders.
Oligonucleotide and small molecule therapies for neurological disorders.

Sedative-Hypnothic drugs
Antiseizure drugs
Antidepressant agents
Drugs for Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases
Pharmacology of analgesia
Drugs of abuse
Antipsychotic agents