Publications

Cryptochrome Interacts With Actin and Enhances Eye-Mediated Light Sensitivity of the Circadian Clock in Drosophila melanogaster.

Schlichting M, Rieger D, Cusumano P, Grebler R, Costa R, Mazzotta GM, Helfrich-Förster C. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience Cryptochromes (CRYs) are a class of flavoproteins that sense blue light. In animals, CRYs are expressed in the eyes and in the clock neurons that control sleep/wake cycles and are implied in the generation and/or entrainment of […]

Changes in Accident & Emergency Visits and Return Visits in Relation to the Enforcement of Daylight Saving Time and Photoperiod

Ferrazzi E., Romualdi C., Ocello M., Frighetto G., Turco M.,Vigolo S., Fabris F., Angeli P.,Vettore G., Costa R., Montagnese S. Journal of Biological Rhythms Daylight saving time (DST) is a source of circadian disruption impinging on millions of people every year. Our aim was to assess modifications, if any, in the number, type, and outcome […]

A Semi-natural Approach for Studying Seasonal Diapause in Drosophila melanogaster Reveals Robust Photoperiodicity

Nagy D.,  Andreatta G., Bastianello S., Martín Anduaga A., Mazzotta G., Kyriacou CP., Costa R. Journal of Biological Rhythms The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster survives thermally stressful conditions in a state of reproductive dormancy (diapause), manifested by reduced metabolic activity and arrested ovarian development in females. Unlike insects that rely primarily on photoperiodic stimuli to initiate […]

Assessment and Management of Sleep Disturbance in Cirrhosis

Formentin C,  Garrido M,  Montagnese S. Current Hepatology Reports This review presents an in-depth overview of the sleep–wake phenotype of patients with cirrhosis, together with available pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment strategies. A set of simple, practical recommendations is also provided. The understanding of the pathophysiology of sleep disorders in this patient population has improved over the […]

Aminergic Signaling Controls Ovarian Dormancy in Drosophila

Andreatta G, Kyriacou CP, Flatt T, Costa R Scientific Reports 2018 In response to adverse environmental conditions many organisms from nematodes to mammals deploy a dormancy strategy, causing states of developmental or reproductive arrest that enhance somatic maintenance and survival ability at the expense of growth or reproduction. Dormancy regulation has been studied in C. […]