Daniele Licciardo

Psychologist and neuropsychologist – Ordine degli Psicologi Lombardia Albo A, nr. 19276 (since 02/2017).

Expert in neuropsychological evaluations of patients with suspected neurodegenerative disease (e.g. Alzheimer’s Disease, Corticobasal Syndrome, Primary Progressive Aphasia, Parkinsonism), with demyelinating diseases (Multiple Sclerosis) or undergoing neurosurgical surgery for brain tumors (Gliomas, Meningiomas).

I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology (L-24) at the University of Messina (Italy), in 2013, with a thesis on “Iperattività e impulsività nei bambini con disturbi pervasivi dello sviluppo: un’esperienza di trattamento psicofarmacologico di pazienti con comorbidità tra i due disturbi” under the supervision of Prof. Antonella Gagliano (Final grade: 108/110).

Subsequently, I obtained my Master’s degree in Psychology (LM-51) at the University of Milano-Bicocca, with a thesis on “ Orientamento dell’attenzione visuospaziale e temperatura corporea “, under the supervision of Prof. Giuseppe Vallar, graduating with honors (Final grade: 110/110 cum laude).

From 2015 to 2016, I completed my post-graduate traineeship at the Istutito Auxologico Italiano – Casa di Cura Capitanio – in Milan, under the supervision of Prof. Elisabetta Banco and Dr. Carlotta Casati.

From 2016 to 2021, I conducted the advanced practicum trainee at the School of Specialization in Neuropsychology, a research collaboration at the University of Milan-Bicocca (contributing to research projects in the Clinical Trials for patient with prodromal and early stage Alzheimer’s Disease), an academic position as collaborator on the elective course in Neuropsychology for the School of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Milano-Bicocca and a mentorship for the training project “Counselling in Multiple Sclerosis”.

In October 2021, I obtained the specialization in Neuropsychology at the University of Milano-Bicocca, with a thesis on “Classificazione data-driven e caratterizzazione cognitiva e metabolica dell’atrofia corticale posteriore “, under supervision of Prof. Giuseppe Vallar, graduating with honors (Final grade: 70/70 cum laude)

Since November 2022, I have been enrolled in the PhD program in Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Milan-Bicocca, School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, under the supervision of Prof. Ildebrando Appollonio.

PhD research project

A data-driven classification and cognitive and metabolic imaging characterization of Posterior Cortical Atrophy

Background: An international Working Party on Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA) (2017) has recently highlighted the challenges of an accurate and timely diagnosis of the disorder, underscoring the necessity to investigate its clinical heterogeneity. The Working Party has hypothesized four cognitive variants within the PCA spectrum. There are, however, only very few neuropsychological and neuroimaging group studies that have formally verified the existence of these variants. Aims: The aim of the present research project is to provide an in-depth neuropsychological and metabolic neuroimaging (through FDG-PET) characterization of clinical heterogeneity of PCA, and verify PCA variants suggested in the literature using a data-driven approach.

Methods and materials: PCA patients will be assessed with an extensive battery of neuropsychological tests investigating the main posterior deficits and classified according to the predominant domains of impairment using a data-driven approach. Each PCA phenotype obtained from cluster analysis will be compared with the other phenotypes and with a clinical control group of classical (amnestic) AD patients for distribution of hypometabolism on brain FDG-PET.

Expected results: The current project has been developed to verify PCA variants suggested in the literature in a relatively large sample, with an extensive neuropsychological battery and a data-driven approach, and with a semiquantitative evaluation of topography of brain hypometabolism. Based on the variants outlined by the consensus criteria, results are expected to show the following neurocognitive phenotypes: simultanagnosia and biP and occipital hypometabolism; visual agnosia and OT hypometabolism; Gerstmann features and apraxia and domP hypometabolism; visual field defects and cO hypometabolism.