The Generative Brain

IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna and University of Bologna (neuropathology and prion diagnostics)

IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna (ISNB), a major Italian prion reference laboratory run within the Parchi neuropathology program; it published the large CSF RT-QuIC cohort, the olfactory mucosa test and skin RT-QuIC validation work.

Key facts

  • Franceschini, Baiardi, Hughson, McKenzie, Moda, Rossi, Capellari, Green, Giaccone, Caughey, Parchi: Bologna group with RML (Caughey, Hughson), Edinburgh (Green) and Australia (McKenzie).
  • Its neuropathology laboratory analysed consecutive diagnostic samples from January 2003 to June 2016 and is described as a major reference laboratory for prion disease in Italy.
  • In that cohort CSF RT-QuIC had 82.1 percent sensitivity and 99.4 percent specificity.
  • The program is directed by Piero Parchi (neuropathology of neurodegenerative diseases) and is linked to the University of Bologna.
  • Its skin punch biopsy study (71 samples from 35 patients) reported about 89 percent sensitivity.
  • Bologna co-authored the CSF plus olfactory mucosa RT-QuIC algorithm that reached virtually 100 percent sensitivity and specificity in the clinical phase.

Timeline

  1. 2003Start of the consecutive diagnostic sample series.
  2. 2017CSF and olfactory mucosa algorithm published.
  3. 2020Neuropathology program led by Parchi.
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