Enzo Grossi

Foundation Villa Santa Maria · Research & Development

In determining the so-called “body burden”, hair has been widely accepted for assessing toxic element exposure. However, its role in assessing essential elements is controversial. This study investigates the possible relationship between hair minerals, metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular (CV) risk in non-occupationally exposed subjects wit...

Although abnormal pain sensitivity has become one of the key diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), this area is still underinvestigated. Specifically, a very few studies focused on the affective-cognitive component characterizing pain experience in autism. The present study was aimed at investigating psychophysiological responses...

CONCLUSIONS ➢ Individuals with ASD diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria and a diagnosis confirmation using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) were involved in the study. ➢ TTB was quantified during structured static and dynamic tasks using a video-recording approach, previously described 2. All the tests were performed without shoes...

There has been recent interest in the relationship between socioeconomic status, urbanicity level, and the diagnosis of autism in children. Studies in the United States have found lower rates of autism diagnosis associated with lower socioeconomic status, while studies in other countries report no association or the opposite. In a large Danish regi...

Autism spectrum disorder ( is a genetically heterogeneous disorder and may be caused by both inherited and de novo gene variants Increasing evidence points to a contribution of environmental and epigenetic factors in ASD, but their connections are still largely unexplored Aim of the present pilot study was to apply the Auto Contractive Map algorith...

“Sensoria ® Smart Socks” seems to be a feasible and acceptable wearable sensors approach for quantifying TTB in individuals with severe ASD and TTB Further research is required to confirm these preliminary results

Exposure to environmental stressors during pregnancy plays an important role in influencing subsequent susceptibility to certain chronic diseases through the modulation of epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation. Our aim was to explore the connections between environmental exposures during gestation with DNA methylation of placental cells,...

Obesity is a severe health problem linked to an increased risk of comorbidity and mortality and its etiopathogenesis includes genetic, epigenetic, microbiota composition, and environmental factors, such as dietary habits. The olfactory system plays an important role in controlling food intake and meal size, influencing body weight and energy balanc...

Although medical research has been performed predominantly on men both in preclinical and clinical studies, continuous efforts have been made to overcome this gender bias. Examining retrospectively 21 data sets containing sex as one of the descriptive variables, it was possible to verify how many times our AI protocol decided to keep gender informa...

In a previous study we applied artificial neural networks with the aim to evaluate the differential frequency of several potential risk factors related to pregnancy, peri, and early postnatal period, investigated through a careful interview of mothers of autistic children in comparison with mothers of typical children, and to assess the predictive...

Una delle sfide maggiori dei prossimi anni per quanto riguarda laricerca biomedica sarà quella di trovare il modo di assegnare il migliortrattamento ad un determinato paziente sulla base dell'esperienzamaturata in una grande popolazioni di pazienti.

L'obesità rappresenta un grave problema di salute associato ad aumentato rischio di mortalità e di comorbidità e la sua eziopatogenesi include fattori genetici, epigenetici, composizione del microbiota e fattori ambientali, come le abitudini alimentari. Il sistema olfattivo svolge un ruolo importante nel controllo dell'assunzione degli alimenti e d...

Study objectives: Disorder of arousal (DOA) and sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy (SHE) are complex, often bizarre, involuntary sleep behaviors, whose differential diagnosis may be challenging because they share some clinical features, such as sleep fragmentation. Mounting evidence highlights the critical role of sleep in cognitive functions. Cont...

Background: The relationship between foods and cancers has been documented in many epidemiological and cohort studies of the Mediterranean Diet (MeD). Objective: Correlation between food expenditure in Italy and the prevalence of nine cancers: breast, prostate, colon, pancreas, TBL (throat-bronchial-lung), bladder in males and females, uterus, and...

Aim and methods: Artificial neural networks were used to unravel connections among blood gene methylation levels, sex, maternal risk factors and symptom severity evaluated using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule 2 (ADOS-2) score in 58 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Results: Methylation levels of MECP2, HTR1A and OXTR genes w...

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder, resulting in an impairment of socio-communicative interaction, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors [1]. Growing evidence suggests that individuals with ASD may show sensorimotor deficits. Toe walking (TW) is a possible finding during gait observation in...

One hundred-six subjects (mean age: 11.27±4.95yrs; range: 3.66-24.83yrs; 83 males) diagnosed with ASD according to DSM-5 or ICD-10 criteria were included. ✓ The presence of TTB was evaluated by a physiotherapist through direct observation and a structured interview of the main caregiver [1]. ✓ The SM and GM length were assessed using a manual gonio...

We assessed SM and GM length values in a sample of ten subject with ASD (5 with TTB and 5 without TTB), diagnosed following the DSM-5 criteria.  The ASD severity was assessed using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ver. 2) calibrated severity score.  To assess TTB presence or absence we applied a standardized qualitative assessment prev...

Atypical sensory processing is frequently reported in persons with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and it is one of the described diagnostic criteria for ASD. There is also mounting literature supporting the presence of motor impairments in individuals with ASD. Among these motor signs, tip-toe behavior (TTB) is a possible clinical finding, but it...

Il benessere emotivo e la felicità hanno ricevuto poca attenzione nel campo dell'autismo. Quando ci si concentra sul benessere, spesso lo si fa da una prospettiva negativa, ovvero la mancanza di funzionamento di cui si presuppone un ruolo fondamentale nell'assicurare una buona qualità della vita. Basandosi sui principi della psicologia positiva è o...

Le tecniche statistiche tradizionali non possono proiettare in uno spazio bidimensionale un elevato numero di variabili secondo la matrice delle loro distanze reciproche perché il tempo computazionale tende all'infinito. Anche l'inerente non-linearità crea difficoltà. Un nuovo approccio matematico consiste nel misurare la dipendenza generale di var...

This systematic review summarizes the evidence about toe walking (TW) interventions in persons with autism. Following the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, The Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and Opengrey was performed. Nine articles (all case reports or case series) were included. Methodological quality was ass...

Many different mathematical approaches have been tested in the last few years to disentangle the EEG data complexity and determine if it is possible to distinguish children with ASD from typically developing children or children with other neuropsychiatric disorders. An electroencephalogram (EEG) records the electrical activity of the brain by reco...

COVID 19 pandemic has forced almost all activities as businesses, schools, and entire countries to move completely online For children and adolescents requiring special education like those affected by neuropsychiatric disorders ( a particular effort was needed to ensure good results A special program called “Smart School” has been developed betwee...

Toe-walking is a phenomenon present in 20-30% of ASD subjects1. Using a qualitative structured assessment, we previously described three mutually exclusive clinical functional classes of tip toe behavior (TTB) of increasing severity: during running (TTB1); during walking and running (TTB2); during standing, walking and running (TTB3)2. In another s...

A new pre-processing approach to EEG data to detect topological EEG features has been applied to a continuous segment of artifact-free EEG data lasting 10 minutes in ASCII format derived from 50 ASD children and 50 children with other Neuro-Psychiatric Disorders (NPD), matched for age and male/female ratios. Each EEG is transformed into a triangula...

With the aim of providing a global platform for a debate on the new frontiers of progress in human health and agro-food research, representatives of institutions and the business community present at the forum have given their contribution to focusing on the topic of the microbiome. The event was attended by speakers and experts in the field with...

The aim of the project is to investigate the connections among in utero exposure to various environmental stressors and gene-specific and global methylation levels, in DNA from placenta tissue and mother and infant buccal swab cells, by applying fourth generations Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) able to create semantic connectivity maps.

We all perceive in our daily lives the close connection between beauty and happiness. When we feel happy, who knows why, what surrounds us, even in our home environment, seems a little more beautiful, and vice versa when we immerse ourselves in beauty, both artistic and natural, we feel like putting on wings to fly higher. "Beauty is but the promis...

The interest in food supplements in clinical medicine has grown a lot, especially in Italy, where we prefer to use the term "Nutraceutical". This term derives from the fusion of the words "nutrient" and "pharmaceutical". The nutraceutical is, therefore, a substance of natural origin (vegetable, animal, or mineral) that can exert actions resembling...

Background Moving from the correlation between insulin-resistance and PCOS, metformin has been administered in some PCOS women improving ovulatory and metabolic functions and decreasing androgen levels. Inconsistency and unpredictability of response to metformin limit its extensive use. Aim of this study was to identify reliable predictors of respo...

The construction of a life story work within an educational project is an emerging theme in the care of adolescents with psychiatric disorders. The aim of this pilot study is to evaluate whether the production of a life story can improve mood and self-esteem in adolescents with psychopathology.

Introduction: Accurate assessment of resting energy expenditure (REE) can guide optimal nutritional prescription in critically ill children. Indirect calorimetry (IC) is the gold standard for REE measurement, but its use is limited. Alternatively, REE estimates by predictive equations/formulae are often inaccurate. Recently, predicting REE with ar...

Background: We applied an artificial intelligence-based model to predict fragility fractures in postmenopausal women, using different dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) parameters. Methods: One hundred seventy-four postmenopausal women without vertebral fractures (VFs) at baseline (mean age 66.3 ± 9.8) were retrospectively evaluated. Data has b...

As Antonia Trichopoulou says, the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) has been documented to be a very healthy diet and has been acknowledged as an example of a sustainable diet in which nutrition, biodiversity, local food production, and local culture are closely interconnected. The MedDiet has become an increasingly popular topic of interest when focusi...

Background and Purpose: The Active Connection Matrixes (ACMs) are unsupervised artificial adaptive systems able to extract from digital images features of interest (edges, tissue differentiation, etc.) unnoticeable with conventional systems. In this proof-of-concept study, we assessed the potentiality of ACMs to increase measurement precision of mo...

This is the collection of 44 posters presented by Villa Santa Maria Institute at INSAR annual meetings from 2014 to 2021

A new pre-processing approach of EEG data to detect topological EEG features has been applied to a continuous segment of artifact-free EEG data lasting 10 minutes in ASCII format derived from 50 ASD children and 50 children with other Neuro-psychiatric disorders, matched for age and male/female ratios. Each EEG was manipulated using a Cin-Cin algor...

Study objectives: PANS (pediatric acute onset neuropsychiatric syndrome) is thought to be the result of several mechanisms and multiple etiologies, ranging from endocrine/metabolic causes to postinfectious autoimmune and neuroinflammatory disorders. Sleep disorders represent one of the most frequent manifestations of PANS, involving around 80% of...

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a multicomplex disorder characterized by an umbrella of specific issues in the areas of social communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors [...]

Background: Several instruments have been proposed to investigate restricted, repetitive behaviors (RRBs) in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Systematic video observations may overcome questionnaire and interview limitations to investigate RRBs. This study aimed to analyze stereotypic patterns through video recordings and to determ...

Background Osteoporosis is an asymptomatic disease of high prevalence and incidence, leading to bone fractures burdened by high mortality and disability, mainly when several subsequent fractures occur. A fragility fracture predictive model, Artificial Intelligence-based, to identify dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) variables able to characterise tho...

The wide spectrum of unique needs and strengths of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is a challenge for the worldwide healthcare system. With the plethora of information from research, a common thread is required to conceptualize an exhaustive pathogenetic paradigm. The epidemiological and clinical findings in ASD cannot be explained by the tradition...

Background: Literature showed the effects of music therapy on behavioral disturbances, cognitive functions, and on quality of life in people with dementia. Especially, relational active music therapy approach is oriented to reduce behavioral disturbances increasing communication, especially non-verbal communication. Objective: This study aimed a...

The wide spectrum of unique needs and strengths of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is a challenge for the worldwide healthcare system. With the plethora of information from research, a common thread is required to conceptualize an exhaustive pathogenetic paradigm. The epidemiological and clinical findings in ASD cannot be explained by the tradition...

Background and Objective In 2 previous studies, we have shown the ability of special machine learning systems applied to standard EEG data in distinguishing children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from non-ASD children with an overall accuracy rate of 100% and 98.4%, respectively. Since the equipment routinely available in neonatology units em...

Background Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) diagnosis currently requires quite a long time span. A quicker and more efficient diagnostic tool in emergency departments could improve management during this global crisis. Our main goal was assessing the accuracy o...

Il report riassume i risultati di oltre 3.000 studi, raccolti in 900 pubblicazioni, che hanno a che fare con la prevenzione delle malattie e la gestione della salute. Le evidenze che sono esaminate seguono una scala gerarchica molto articolata poiché tipicamente nel mondo della Evidence Based Medicine ci si basa su una classificazione di risultati...

Anzitutto ringrazio gli organizzatori per questo invito, in particolare Francesca Velani. Sono onorato di parlare di fronte ad una audience così importante e autorevole e mi fa molto piacere condividere con voi alcune riflessioni sulla partecipazione culturale come strumento per un nuovo welfare. Vorrei iniziare riferendomi all'evoluzione del conce...

Background: Drug resistance to biologics in psoriasis therapy can occur – it may be acquired during a treatment or else present itself from the beginning. To date, no biomarkers are known that may reliably guide clinicians in predicting responsiveness to biologics. Biologics may pose a substantial economic burden. Secukinumab efficiently targets IL...

The role of art, culture, and health for human health

A sound postural system requires sensorimotor integration. Evidence suggests that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) present sensorimotor integration impairments. The Physiological Profile Assessment (PPA) can be used to evaluate postural capacity assessing five physiological subsets (i.e., vision, reaction time, peripheral sensation,...

The microbiota-gut-brain axis has been recently recognized as a key modulator of neuropsychiatric health. In this framework, probiotics (recently named "psychobiotics") may modulate brain activity and function, possibly improving the behavioral profiles of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We evaluated the effects of probiotics on autis...

Per la maggior parte delle persone una passeggiata lungo un fiume, lungo un sentiero di un bosco o lungo una spiaggia ha un effetto rilassante e piacevole. Sia il green space che il blue space in effetti hanno il potere di rendere le persone più felici. Fino a poco tempo fa, queste nozioni ben note già nel secolo scorso, quando i medici vittoriani...

Background About 20% of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) showed tip-toe behavior (TTB). This behavior may be related to a decreased ankle joint range of motion (ROM) in dorsiflexion. Physiologically, gastrocnemius (GM) and soleus (SM) muscle influence ankle ROM independently. However, no studies investigated the relationship between...

The effectiveness of surveillance systems in differentiating outbreak from sporadic cases could have important implications for analytical studies that assume independence among cases. The identification of the spatial clustering should be the first step when developing effective policies to manage and control any new epidemic. The big question is...

This study shows that in children and adolescents found positive at COVID-19 RT-PCR being resident in a nursing home the time required for a definitive disappearance of the virus from nose-pharyngeal swab can overcome two months. Along this period is possible to observe the existence of discrete oscillation in COVID- 19 viral load count in line wit...

In this article we want to show the potential of an evolutionary algorithm called Topological Weighted Centroid (TWC). This algorithm can obtain new and relevant information from extremely limited and poor datasets. In a world dominated by the concept of big (fat?) data we want to show that it is possible, by necessity or choice, to work profitably...

Background: Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) diagnosis currently requires quite a long time span. A quicker and more efficient diagnostic tool in emergency departments could improve management during this global crisis. Our main goal was assessing the accuracy...

Objectives: Pediatric acute onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) is a clinically heterogeneous disorder presenting with: unusually abrupt onset of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) or severe eating restrictions, with at least two concomitant cognitive, behavioral, or affective symptoms such as anxiety, obsessive-compulsive behavior, and irritab...

The cross-sectional study included 51 consecutive ASD subjects (44 males, mean age = 13.9 years-3.67 SD) diagnosed according to the DSM V criteria and under observation at our Institute. The ASD severity was established through ADOS (2nd version). ✓ A therapist assessed the amount of TTB during both standardized static and dynamic tests previously...

ICOM Italy established on 2007 a thematic commission for museum accessibility. A lively debate, with both Italian and foreign colleagues, arose the opportunity of creating an International Committee for museum accessibility, inclusion and usability. Such an interdisciplinary and complex theme (motor, sensory and cognitive disabilities, social frail...

Twelve adolescents with autism (age 10-17) took part to this study. The ASD subjects were diagnosed with autism according to the DSM V criteria, confirmed through ADOS-2 and under observation at our Institute. Their mean ADOS severity score was 7.8 (range 4-10). The experience consisted in a guided visit to the Teatro Alla Scala Museum by a cultura...

Just two derivation channels of EEG carry a signature of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Advanced Machine learning systems allow the recognition of ASD from EEG. ASD can be distinguished from other neuro-psychiatric disorders. Screening of newborns at risk of ASD is be possible.

In December 2019, a new potentially pandemic Coronavirus made its appearance in the province of Wuhan, China. From there, the epidemic began to spread to the rest of China, then to Asia and all over the world. Today, cases are reported in over one hundred countries, in Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Africa and Oceania. The feared trans...

The inaccuracy of resting energy expenditure (REE) prediction formulae to calculate energy metabolism in children may lead to either under- or overestimated real caloric needs with clinical consequences. The aim of this paper was to apply artificial neural networks algorithms (ANNs) to REE prediction. We enrolled 561 healthy children (2–17 years)....

Teriparatide is a bone-forming therapy for osteoporosis that increases bone quantity and texture, with uncertain action on bone geometry. No data are available regarding its influence on bone strain. To investigate teriparatide action on parameters of bone quantity and quality and on Bone Strain Index (BSI), also derived from DXA lumbar scan, based...

The gut microbiota is a complex and dynamic ecosystem with a strong influence on the host's health. Several factors can modify the gut's bacterial composition, often leading to the onset of intestinal dysbiosis. Therefore, it is essential not only to evaluate the quantitative bacterial changes occurring in the human microbiota but also to character...

Background and objective: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in clinical practice, having been recognized as a true cardiovascular epidemic. In this paper, a new methodology for Computer Aided Diagnosis of AF based on a special kind of artificial adaptive systems has been developed. Methods: Following the extraction o...

The aim of this study is to highlight the feasibility of an aesthetic experience in Museo Teatrale alla Scala in seventeen adolescents and adult subjects suffering from different forms of neuro-psychiatric diseases, guests of the Villa Santa Maria Institute, an Italian Rehabilitation Center. The experience consisted in a guided tour in the museum c...