Dr Lucy Privitera

Profile

Dr. Lucy Privitera is a neurobiologist of learning and memory. Her research combines neuroscience, biology and pharmacology to address specific issues of the molecular mechanisms underlying learning and memory in both healthy conditions and in neurodegenerative diseases.

Lucy’s scientific expertise is ex-vivo and in-vivo electrophysiology, behavioral study, optogenetics  and biochemistry (IHC, WB).

During her undergraduate studies for the master’s degree in Motor Sciences Prevention and Rehabilitation at the School of Medicine at the university of Catania she researched on  “The methods to study mechanisms underlying learning and memory processes in Alzheimer’s Disease”.                                                      

After this she joined the PhD program in Applied Biomedical Sciences at the Univ. of Catania during which she spent 2 years at the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology in Columbia University in the City on New York (USA) where she worked on the “Role of NO-cGMP pathway in the synaptic and cognitive dysfunction of Alzheimer’s disease animal models” and on the “Physiological Role of amyloid beta in Alzheimer’s disease”. She graduated in March 2009.                      

She was postdoctoral researcher for 13 years and she worked in several projects at the University of Catania (Italy), University of Warwick (UK), University of Bradford (UK), University of Edinburgh (UK) and University of Dundee (UK). 

Lucy’s teaching expertise has remarkably developed through her active contribution to the modules “Human Physiology” and “Applied Physiology” at University of Catania for many years (2004-2013) during which she was also offered a temporary lectureship in “Human Physiology”, teaching undergraduate students in Speech Therapies and Acoustic-Aid Technician at School of Medicine. In the UK Lucy run tutorials for undergraduate students on Neuroscience and she’s been guest Lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire where she also acted as external examiner for Master’s Degree.

She was basketball player, she loves cycling, running and swimming especially in the Mediterranean sea. She was also proficient diver (PADI Advanced and Nitrox licenses).

Research

Publications

*Tse D., *Privitera L., Norton AC, Gobbo F, Spooner P, Takeuchi T, Martin SJ, Morris RGM (2023) Cell-type-specific optogenetic stimulation of the locus coeruleus induces slow-onset potentiation and enhances everyday memory in rats Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 120(46), e2307275120

*Morè L, *Privitera L, Cooper DD, Tsogka M,  Arthur JSC, Frenguelli BG (2023) MSK1 is required for the beneficial synaptic and cognitive effects of enriched experience across the lifespan Aging, 15(13), pp. 6031–6072

Privitera L, Hogg EL, Lopes M, Domingos LB, Gaestel M, Müller J, Wall MJ, Corrêa SAL (2022) The MK2 cascade mediates transient alteration in mGluR‐LTD and spatial learning in a murine model of Alzheimer's disease Aging Cell doi.org/10.1111/acel.13717

*Morè L, *Privitera L; Perrett P, Van Gijsel Bonnello M, Reyskens K, Cooper D, Arthur S, Frenguelli BG (2022) CREB serine 133 is necessary for spatial cognitive flexibility and long-term potentiation. Neuropharmacology doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109237

*Okuda K, *Højgaard K, *Privitera L, *Gülberk Bayraktar G* and Takeuchi T (2020) Initial memory consolidation in the hippocampus: relevance to synaptic tagging and capture hypothesis. Review article Eur J Neuroci. DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14902 4. 

*Privitera L, *More’ L, Cooper D, Tsogka M, Hebenstreit D, Arthur JS and Frenguelli BG (2020) Experience recruits MSK1 to expand the dynamic range of synapses and enhance cognition. Journal of Neuroscience - doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2765- 19.2020

Arnold LD, Privitera L, Whitfield PD, Doherty MK, Morè L. (2020) A proteomic signature for CNS adaptations to the valence of environmental stimulation  Behav Brain Res. 2020 Jan 29; 383:112515. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112515.

Bäumler E, Strickland L, Privitera L, (2019) Molecular underpinnings of estradiol-mediated sexual dimorphism of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus of rodents. J Neurosci. 39(12), pp. 2160–2162

*Privitera L, *Hogg E., Wall MJ, Gaestel M. and Corrêa SAL. (2019) The MK2 cascade regulates mGluR-dependent synaptic plasticity and reversal learning. Neuropharmacology 155:121-130. 8.

Hunter CJ, Remenyi J, Correa SA, Privitera L, Reyskens KSEM, Martin KJ, Toth R, Frenguelli BG and Arthur JS (2017) MSK1 regulates transcriptional induction of Arc/Arg3.1 in response to neurotrophins. FEBSBIO 7(6):821-834

*Daumas S, *Hunter CJ, *Mistry RB, *More’ L, *Privitera L, Cooper D., Flynn H., Morris RGM, Arthur JS and Frenguelli BG (2017) The kinase function of regulates BDNF signaling to CREB and basal synaptic transmission, but is not required for hippocampal long-term potentiation or spatial memory. ENeuro doi: 10.1523/ENEURO.0212-16.2017

Cantarella G, Di Benedetto G, Puzzo D, Privitera L, Loreto C., Saccone S, Giunta S, Agostino Palmeri A, Bernardini R (2014) Neutralization of TNFSF10 ameliorates functional outcome in a murine model of Alzheimer’s disease. Brain138(Pt 1):203- 216

Bollen E, Puzzo D, Rutten K, Privitera L, De Vry J, Vanmierlo T, Kenis G, Palmeri A, D'Hooge R, Balschun D, Steinbusch HM, Blokland A., Prickaerts J. Improved Long-term memory via enhancing cGMP-PKG signaling requires cAMP-PKA signaling. (2014) Neuropsychopharmacology. 39(11):2497-2505. 

Ricciarelli R, Puzzo D, Bruno O, Canepa E, Gardella E, Rivera D, Privitera L, Domenicotti C, Marengo B, Marinari UM, Palmeri A, Pronzato M.A., Arancio O., Fedele E. (2014) A novel mechanism for cAMP-mediated memory formation: role of amyloid β. Ann Neural 75(4):602-7 doi: 10.1002/ana.24130 13.

Puzzo D, Bizzoca A, Privitera L, Furnari D, Giunta S, Girolamo F, Pinto M, Gennarini G, Palmeri A (2013) F3/contactin promotes hippocampal neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity and memory in adult mice. Hippocampus 23(12):1367-82 doi: 10.1002/hipo.22186

Palmeri A, Privitera L, Giunta S., Loreto C, Puzzo D (2012) Inhibition of phosphodiesterase-5 rescues age-related impairment of synaptic plasticity and memory. Behav Brain Res. 1;240:11-202 doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2012.10.060.

Puzzo D, Privitera L, Palmeri A (2011) Hormetic effect of amyloid-beta peptide in synaptic plasticity and memory. Neurobiol Aging 33(7):1484.e15-24. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2011.12.020 16.

Puzzo D, Privitera L, Fa’ M, Staniszewski A, Hashimoto G, Aziz F, Sakurai M, Ribe EM, Troy CM, Mercken M, Jung SS, Palmeri A, Arancio O (2011) Endogenous amyloid-β is necessary for hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory. Ann Neurol 69(5):819-30. doi: 10.1002/ana.22313 17.

Puzzo D, Staniszewski A, Deng SX, Privitera L, Leznik E, Liu S, Zhang H., Feng Y., Palmeri A., Landry D.W., Arancio O. (2009) Phosphodiesterase 5 inhibition improves synaptic function, memory, and amyloid-beta load in an Alzheimer’s disease mouse model. J Neurosci. 29(25):8075-86. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0864-09.2009

Puzzo D, Privitera L, Leznik E, Fa’ M, Jung S, Staniszewski A, Palmeri A, Arancio (2008) Picomolar amyloid-beta positively modulates synaptic plasticity and memory in hippocampus. J. Neurosci. 28(53):14537-45. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2692- 08.2008