Developmental Neurology and Neurorehabilitation in Cerebral Palsy

Description

The research activity, closely linked to clinical activity (Regional Reference Center for the diagnosis and treatment of cerebral palsy and severe brain injuries in developmental age,  DGR No. 254 of 03.03.2009), is aimed at the neurophysiological study, neuro-functional, neuroimaging and neurorehabilitation of children with motor, perceptive and cognitive disorders caused by diseases of the nervous system in the developmental age. The research activity in this area also goes in the direction of the development of new technologies, represented by robotic devices and virtual reality that are used in neurorehabilitation, together with the traditional rehabilitation treatment with the aim of assisting and enhancing motor learning.

Current Research Projects:

• The optical pathway as a model for the diagnostic-prognostic definition of central nervous system disorders: study by computerized optical tomography (OCT) of a large pediatric population. P.I .: Dott.ssa E. Lucarelli
• Evaluation of the quality of care provided in rehabilitation services for children with cerebral palsy. P.I. Dr. A. Trabacca
• The Italian Network for Cerebral Palsy (ITA-Net-CP): working for training, improving assistance and research activities, disseminating evidence-based assessment and treatment protocols. P.I. Dr. A. Trabacca

Selected Publications

• Trabacca A, Vespino T, Di Liddo A, Russo L. Multidisciplinary rehabilitation for patients with cerebral palsy: Improving long-term care. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare 2016;9: 455-462
• Trabacca A, Russo L. Pediatric rehabilitation: A changing panorama in the high-tech era? European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine 2016;52: 593-594.
• Molinaro A, Fedrizzi E, Calza S, Pagliano E, Jessica G, Fazzi E, Trabacca A, Vespino T, Gallino F, Villani A, Picciolini O, Cozzaglio M, Pagliano E, Baranello G, Zambonin F, Daniela F, Mandalari P, Mirabile L, Nacinovich R, Broggi F, De Polo G, Da Ruos F, Cazzagon M, Godio M, Piantoni C, Dusi E, Marzaroli M, Fusari D, Arisi D, Magri S, Landi N, Roberti L, Signorini S, Luparia A, Sabbadini M, Riccioli N, Turconi AC, Molteni F, Marcelli M, Di Brina C. Family-centred care for children and young people with cerebral palsy: results from an Italian multicenter observational study. Child: Care, Health and Development 2017;43: 588-597.
• Castelli E, Fazzi E, Alboresi S, Armando M, Battisti N, Carboni E, Cazzagon M, Cersosimo A, Dalla Torre L, Ferrari A, Gambini D, Giampaoli G, Maltoni P, Marucco A, Marconi R, Morelli D, Pignatelli S, Rubini G, Trevisi E, Turconi AC, Trabacca A, Cioni G, Folegani P, Giannini MT, Luparia A, Landi N, Mangione D, Marcelli M, Militerni R, Pagliano E, Paolicelli PB, Sales B, Scuccimarra G, Sgandurra G, Tornetta L. Recommendations for the rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy. European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine 2016;52: 691-703.
• Rosa-Rizzotto M, Visonà Dalla Pozza L, Corlatti A, Luparia A, Marchi A, Molteni F, Facchin P, Pagliano E, Fedrizzi E, Aguggiaro V, Arnoldi MT, Banditori M, Baranello G, Bon F, Bua M, Castelli MV, Cerioli M, Cazzagon M, Di Brina C, Dornini C, Fazzi E, Foscani M, Fusari D, Genovese T, Germinasi C, Giannarelli P, Inverno M, La Gamba A, Loreti V, Luati G, Lucco G, Maddalena P, Madella Noja A, Magagnin B, Magri S, Mandalari P, Martinuzzi A, Marzaroli M, Megliani C, Pezzani M, Picciolini O, Ranzato C, Sartor S, Setaro A, Signorini S, Stefanoni G, Stortini M, Tentori M, Tornetta L, Trabacca A, Turconi AC, Vespino T, Ambra VTR, Fabio Z, Zervas T, Zumaglini U. A new scale for the assessment of performance and capacity of hand function in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy: Reliability and validity studies. European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine 2014;50: 543-556.
• Compagnone E, Maniglio J, Camposeo S, Vespino T, Losito L, De Rinaldis M, Gennaro L, Trabacca A. Functional classifications for cerebral palsy: Correlations between the gross motor function classification system (GMFCS), the manual ability classification system (MACS) and the communication function classification system (CFCS). Research in Developmental Disabilities 2014;35: 2651-2657.
• Trabacca A, Ricci S, Russo L, Gennaro L, Losito L, De Rinaldis M, Paloscia C. Medical tourism: Evidence from an Italian descriptive survey on pediatric neurorehabilitation treatment abroad. European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine 2013;49: 829-836.
• Trabacca A, Russo L, Losito L, Rinaldis MD, Moro G, Cacudi M, Gennaro L. The ICF-CY perspective on the neurorehabilitation of cerebral palsy: A single case study. Journal of Child Neurology 2012;27: 183-190.
• Trabacca A, Moro G, Gennaro L, Russo L. When one plus one equals three: The ICF perspective of health and disability in the third millennium. European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine 2012;48: 709-710.
• Trabacca A, De Rinaldis M, Gennaro L, Losito L. Septo-optic dysplasia-plus and dyskinetic cerebral palsy in a child. Neurological Sciences 2012;33: 159-163.
• Trabacca A, Dicuonzo F, Gennaro L, Palma M, Cacudi M, Losito L, De Rinaldis M. Os odontoideum as a rare but possible complication in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy: A clinical and neuroradiologic study. Journal of Child Neurology 2011;26: 1021-1025.
• Facchin P, Rosa-Rizzotto M, Dalla Pozza LV, Turconi AC, Pagliano E, Signorini S, Tornetta L, Trabacca A, Fedrizzi E. Multisite trial comparing the efficacy of constraint-induced movement therapy with that of bimanual intensive training in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy: Post intervention results. American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2011;90: 539-553.
• Losito L, Gennaro L, de Rinaldis M, Cacudi M, Trabacca A. Sjögren-Larsson syndrome: Phenotypic variability in two brothers with a neurocutaneous disorder. Acta Neurologica Belgica 2012;112: 205-208.
• Gennaro L, Russo L, Losito L, Zaccaria A, De Rinaldis M, Trabacca A. Movement disorders in a twins pair: A casual expression or genetic determination? Research in Developmental Disabilities 2010;31: 692-697.
• De Rinaldis M, Losito L, Gennaro L, Trabacca A. Long-term oral baclofen treatment in a child with cerebral palsy: Electroencephalographic changes and clinical adverse effects. Journal of Child Neurology 2010;25: 1272-1274.

Partnerships

• UOC Neuropsichiatria Infantile - Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro"
• Dipartimento di Psicologia - Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro"
• Dipartimento di Psicologia - Università  del Salento - Lecce
• Dipartimento d'Ingegneria dell'Innovazione (DII) Università  del Salento - Lecce
• UO di Gastroenterologia Pediatrica - Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro"
• Miami Children’s Hospital - USA Laboratorio di Psicologia Università  del Salento - Lecce 
• Gruppo Italiano Paralisi Cerebrali Infantili (GIPCI) - Fondazione Pierfranco e Luisa Mariani - Milano
• Coordinamento Regionale Malattie Rare - l'Agenzia Regionale Strategica per la Salute ed il Sociale - Regione Puglia
• UOC di Oncoematologia Pediatrica - Ospedale V. Fazzi di Lecce - ASL Lecce
• UOC di Pediatria - Ospedale A. Perrino - Brindisi - ASL Brindisi
• Ospedale Pediatrico Giovanni XXII Bari