Dr. Lana's activity has developed in the field of neuropharmacology with animal behavioral studies in vivo and biochemical and bioimaging analyses on rat and mouse brain samples in vitro and ex vivo. In particular, his research investigated the mechanisms of memory formation and the involvement of intrecellular transduction and protein translation pathways downstream of cholinergic system activation. Furthermore, he studied the involvement of neurons, astrocytes and microglia and their interrelationships in neurodegeneration mechanisms in models of aging and brain inflammation, Alzheimer's, ischemia and hypoxia with the aim of identifying new therapeutic targets. Of particular interest within the international research landscape was the development of the innovative methodology of triple immunolabelling of neurons, astrocytes and microglia in fluorescence with confocal microscopy and digital imaging. This method has allowed the development of advanced digital imaging techniques of scans obtained under the confocal microscope with three-dimensional reconstruction, digital cutting and quantitative analyzes to visualize, analyze and quantify phenomenal-functional modifications not only of neurons but also of astrocytes and microglia during neurodegenerative processes. The absolute novelty of this approach consists in the possibility of evaluating the mutual interactions of the three main cells of the brain in various models of neurodegenerative pathologies.
