NeatLAB: Neuroscience of Emotions and Actions investigated with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Research lines 2019-2023 

• Exploration of human behavior and underlying cognitive and affective processes through behavioral, psychophysiological, and neurostimulation methods, combined with electrophysiological and functional imaging techniques. 

• Study of brain plasticity, connectivity, and oscillatory brain activity, and their relevance to behavior

Head of the Research Unit:

Sara Borgomaneri

Selected publications 2019-2023

1. Borgomaneri S., Zanon M., Di Luzio P., Cataneo A., Arcara G., Romei V., Tamietto M., Avenanti A. (2023). Increasing associative plasticity in temporo-occipital back-projections improves visual perception of emotions from facial stimuli. Nature Communications. 14, 5720. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-41058-3. 16.6 Impact Factor Q1 
2. Battaglia S., Cardellicchio P., Di Fazio C., Nazzi C., Fracasso A., Borgomaneri S. (2022). The influence of vicarious fear-learning in ‘infecting’ reactive action inhibition. 16: 946263. doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2022.946263. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience. 3.617 Impact Factor Q2  
3. Quettier T., Gambarota F., Tsuchiya N., Sessa P. (2021). Blocking facial mimicry during binocular rivalry modulates visual awareness of faces with a neutral expression. Scientific Reports. 4.996 Impact Factor Q1 
4. Borgomaneri S., Battaglia S., Sciamanna G., Tortora F., Laricchiuta D. (2021). Memories are not written in stones: re-writing fear memories by means of non-invasive brain stimulation and optogenetic manipulations. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 127, 334-352. doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.04.036 9.052 Impact Factor Q1 
5. Borgomaneri S., Battaglia S., Avenanti A., di Pellegrino G. (2021). Don’t Hurt Me No More: State-dependent Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for the treatment of specific phobia. Journal of Affective Disorders. 286:78-79. doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.02.076 6.533 Impact Factor Q1 
6. Borgomaneri S., Battaglia S., Garofalo S., Tortora F., Avenanti A., di Pellegrino G (2020). State-dependent TMS over prefrontal cortex disrupts fear memory reconsolidation and prevents the return of fear. Current Biology. 30:3672-3679.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.091. 10.834 Impact Factor Q1  

Fundings 2019-2023 

International Projects 

• Bial Foundation Grant Programme 2022/2023 (PI), Portogallo (60k€). 

National Projects 

• Bando Giovani Ricercatori 2018-2023, Ministero della Salute. Ruolo: Ricercatore collaboratore, a capo dell'Unità esterna (450k). 
• Prin 2022 (212.5k€). 
• PRIN PNRR (224.678€) 

Active National and International Collaborations 2019-2023 

International collaborations 

• Davare, M, King's College London
• de Vega M & Vitale F, Universidad de la Laguna (Spain) 
• Fracasso A, University of Glasgow (UK) 
• Kalénine S & Decroix J, Université de Lille (France) 
• Keysers C & Gazzola V, Netherland Institute of Neuroscience (Netherland) 
• Tidoni E, University of Hull (UK) 

National collaborations 

• Arcara G, IRCCS San Camillo 
• Barbieri R, Policlinico di Milano 
• Candidi M, Sapienza Università di Roma 
• D’Ausilio A, Università di Ferrara 
• Laricchiuta D & Sciamanna G, IRCSS Santa Lucia Roma 
• Sessa P, Università di Padova 
• Scarpazza C, Università di Padova 
• Tamietto, Università di Torino 
• Vicario CM, Università di Messina 
• Zanon M, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA) 

Unibo collaborations 

• Bertini C, di Pellegrino G, & Romei V, Dipartimento PSI, SSD M-PSI/02 
• Garofalo S, Dipartimento PSI, SSD M-PSI/03 
• Breviglieri R, Bosco A, Fattori P, Galletti C Dipartimento DIBINEM, SSD BIO/09 
• Diciotti S, Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Energia Elettrica e dell'Informazione "Guglielmo Marconi", SSD ING-INF/06 
• Tessari A & Costa M, Dipartimento PSI, SSD M-PSI/01 

Editorial activities 2019-2023 

Sara Borgomaneri 

• Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, reviewing editor 
• Brain Sciences, associate editor 
• Frontiers in Psychology, guest associate editor 

Simone Battaglia 

• Biomedicines (Topical Advisory Panel Member and Guest Editor) 
• Plos One (Academic Editor) 
• Brain Sciences (Guest Editor) 
• Frontiers in Psychiatry (Review Editor) 
• Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience (Review Editor)