Education

Biography

Research Interest

• Dr. Pinna's research in neuropharmacology/neuroendocrinology has focused on:
• Mechanism of action for the anxiolytic and anti-fear effects of cannabinoids
• Drug discovery to facilitate fear extinction and retention of fear extinction in PTSD mouse models and humans with PTSD
• Mechanism of action of antidepressant, anxiolytic, and antiaggressive drugs in several mouse models of affective/cognitive disorders, including aggressive behavior, schizophrenia, and PTSD
• Developing new therapies for PTSD and anxiety disorders
• The role of neuroactive steroids in women with psychiatric disorders including depression and anorexia nervosa.
• Epigenetic mechanisms in psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia
• Understanding the structure and function of neural circuits that mediate cognitive and affective processes in a PTSD mouse model
• Physiological role of the neurosteroid allopregnanolone on GABAA receptor function
• Pharmacology of several GABAA receptor positive agonists and allosteric modulators
• Mechanisms that lead to anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS)-induced behavioral problems (e.g., aggression) and the study of molecules that reverse AAS-induce behavioral and neurochemical dysfunction
• Function of GABAA receptors in mouse models of anxiolytic drug tolerance and dependence
• Effects of several classes of antidepressants on the production and function of thyroid hormones
• The role of thyroid hormones in the mechanisms of addiction to alcohol and opioids.

Professional Activities:

Editorial Boards:

• Clinical Therapeutics
• Frontiers in Bioscience
• Psychiatry Journal
• Advances in Medicine
• Neuropharmacology
• Pharmacology
• Progress in Neuropharmacology and Biological Psychiatry
• Anxiety and Depression
• Open Journal of Endocrine and Metabolic Disease
• Central Nervous System Agents in Medicinal Chemistry
• British Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
• International Journal of Clinical Psychiatry and Mental Health
• Jacobs Journal of Genetics
• Biotech Xpress International Journal of Current Research in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences
• International Biological & Biomedical Journal
• Journal of Psychiatry, Depression & Anxiety

Publications

1. Pinna G, Rasmusson A. Ganaxolone improves behavioral deficits in a mouse model of post-traumatic stress disorder. Front. Cell. Neurosci. 8:256.2014 doi: 10.3389/fncel.2014.00256 (Media release).
2. Agis-Balboa RC, Guidotti A, Pinna G. Allopregnanolone biosynthesis is downregulated in the prefrontal cortex/Brodmann’s area 9 (BA9) of depressed patients. Psychopharmacology. 231(17):3569-80. 2014. PMID:24781515 (Media release).
3. Pinna G. Therapeutic strategies to increase neurosteroidogenesis and improve PTSD by enhancing GABAergic neurotransmission. Innovations in Pharmaceuticals and Pharmacotherapy 1 (4, Special Issue, Neuropharmacology), 285-296, 2014.
4. Pinna G. Targeting neurosteroidogenesis as therapy for PTSD. Front. Pharmacol. Dec. 2014 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2014.00166
5. Pinna G and Rasmusson AM: Upregulation of neurosteroid biosynthesis as a pharmacological strategy to improve behavioral deficits in a putative mouse model of PTSD. J. Neuroendocrinology. 24:102-16. 2012
6. Schüler Nin M, Martinez LA, Pibiri F, Nelson M and Pinna G: Neurosteroids reduce social isolation-induced behavioral deficits: a proposed link with neurosteroid-mediated upregulation of BDNF expression. Front. Endocrin. 2:73. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2011.00073. 2011
7. Nin Schuler M, Martinez LA, Thomas R, Nelson M, Pinna G: Allopregnanolone and S-norfluoxetine decrease anxiety-like behavior in a mouse model of anxiety/depression. Trabajos del Instituto Cajal. 83:215-216. 2011
8. G Pinna: SSRIs act as selective brain steroidogenic stimulants (SBSSs): Insight into a non-serotonergic mechanism of action of SSRIs in mood and anxiety disorders. Trabajos del Instituto Cajal. 83:46-47. 2011
9. Guidotti A, Auta J, Chen Y, Davis JM, Dong E, Gavin D, Grayson DR, Matrisciano F, Pinna G, Satta R, Sharma RP, Tremolizzo L, Tueting P: Epigenetic GABAergic targets in psychiatry. Neuropharmacology. 60:1007-1016. 2011
10. Hunter MP, Nelson M, Kurzer M, Wang X, Kryscio RJ, Head E, Pinna G, O'Bryan JP. Intersectin 1 contributes to phenotypes in vivo: implications for Down's syndrome. Neuroreport. 22:767-72. 2011
11. Nelson M and Pinna G: S-norfluoxetine infused into the basolateral amygdala increases allopregnanolone levels and reduces aggression in socially isolated mice. Neuropharmacology. 60:1154-1159. 2011
12. Lyons T, Berger D, Masini B, and Pinna G: Self-reported psychological distress associated with anabolic androgenic steroid therapy. International Journal of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS. 21:832-4. 2010.
13. Pinna G: In a mouse model relevant for PTSD, selective brain steroidogenic stimulants (SBSSs) improve behavioral deficits by normalizing allopregnanolone biosynthesis. Behavioural Pharmacology. 21:438-450. 2010.
14. Matrisciano F, Modafferi AME, Togna GI, Barone Y, Pinna G, Nicoletti F, and Scaccianoce S: “Depressive- like phenotype” induced by anabolic androgenic steroids in rats. Neuropharmacology 58:1078-1084. 2010.
15. Agis-Balboa RC, Pibiri F, Nelson M, Pinna G: Downregulation of GABAA receptor-active neurosteroids enhances contextual fear responses in mice treated with anabolic androgenic steroids. Neuroreport 20:617- 621. 2009.
16. Pinna G, Costa E, and Guidotti A: SSRIs act as selective brain steroidogenic stimulants (SBSSs) at low doses that are inactive on 5-HT reuptake. Current Opinions in Pharmacology 9:24-30. 2009.
17. Pinna G, Agis-Balboa R, Pibiri F, Nelson M, Guidotti A, and Costa E: Neurosteroid biosynthesis regulates sexually dimorphic fear and aggressive behavior in mice. Neurochemical Research. 33:1990-2007. 2008.
18. Pibiri F, Kozikowski AP, Pinna G, Auta J, Kadriu B, Costa E and Guidotti A: The combination of huperzine A and imidazenil is an effective strategy to prevent diisopropyl fluorophosphate toxicity in mice. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105:14169-14174. 2008.
19. Pibiri F, Nelson M, Costa E, Guidotti A, and Pinna G: Decreased corticolimbic allopregnanolone expression during social isolation enhances contextual fear: A model relevant for posttraumatic stress disorder. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105:5567-5572. 2008. (Media release).
20. Agís-Balboa RC, Pinna G, Pibiri F, Kadriu B, Costa E, and Guidotti A: Downregulation of 5α-reductase type I mRNA expression in cortico-limbic glutamatergic neurons in socially-isolated mice. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 104:18736-18741. 2007. (Media release)
21. Chen Y, Kundakovic M, Agis-Balboa RC, Pinna G, and Grayson DR: Induction of the reelin promoter by retinoic acid is mediated by Sp1. J. Neurochem. 103:650-65. 2007.
22. Matsumoto K, Puia G, Dong E, and Pinna G: GABAA receptor neurotransmission dysfunction in a mouse model of social isolation-induced stress: Possible insights into a non-serotoninergic mechanism of action of SSRIs in mood and anxiety disorders. Stress 10: 3-12. 2007.
23. Guidotti A, Ruzicka W, Grayson DR, Veldic M, Pinna G, Davis JM, and Costa E: S-Adenosyl Methionine and DNA-Methyltransferase-1 mRNA over-expression in psychosis. Neuroreport 18: 57-60. 2007.
24. Pinna G, Agis Balboa RC, Zhubi A, Matsumoto K, Grayson DR, Costa E and Guidotti A: Imidazenil and diazepam increase locomotor activity in mice exposed to protracted social isolation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 103:4275-4280. 2006. (Media release)
25. Pinna G, Costa E, and Guidotti: Fluoxetine and norfluoxetine stereospecifically and selectively increase brain neurosteroid content at doses inactive on 5-HT reuptake. Psychopharmacology. 186:362-372. 2006. (Media release)
26. Agis-Balboa RC, Pinna G, Zhubi A, Veldic M, Costa E and Guidotti A: Location and expression of brain enzymes catalyzing neurosteroid biosynthesis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 103:14602-14607. 2006.
27. Rasmusson AM, Pinna G, Weisman D, Paliwal P, Gottschalk C, Charney D, Krystal J and Guidotti A: Decreased cerebrospinal fluid allopregnanolone levels in women with PTSD. Biol. Psychiatry. 60: 704-713. 2006.
28. Pibiri F, Nelson M, Carboni G, Pinna G. Neurosteroids regulate mouse aggression induced by anabolic androgenic steroids. Neuroreport 17:1537-1541. 2006
29. Pinna G, Costa E, and Guidotti A: Changes in brain testosterone and allopregnanolone elicit aggressive behavior. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102:2135-2140. 2005.
30. Tremolizzo L, Doueiri MS, Dong E, Grayson DR, Pinna G, Tueting P, Rodriguez-Menendez V, Costa E, and Guidotti A: Valproate-induced histone tail hyperacetylation and –DNA demethylation correct behavioral alterations in a mouse model of schizophrenia induced by methionine. Biol. Psychiatry 57:500-509. 2005.
31. Matsumoto K, Pinna G, Puia G, Guidotti A, and Costa E: Social isolation stress-induced aggression in mice: a model to study the pharmacology of neurosteroidogenesis. Stress. 8:85-93. 2005
32. Cagetti E, Pinna G, Guidotti A, Baicy K and Olsen RW: Chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) administration in rats decreases levels of neurosteroids in hippocampus, accompanied by altered behavioral responses to neurosteroids and memory function. Neuropharmacology. 46:350-357. 2004.
33. Pinna G, Costa E and Guidotti A: Fluoxetine and norfluoxetine stereospecifically facilitate pentobarbital sedation by increasing neurosteroids. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 101:6222-6225. 2004.
34. Pinna G, Agis-Balboa RC, Doueiri M-S, Guidotti A and Costa E: Brain neurosteroids in the gender-related aggression induced by social isolation. Critical Reviews in Neurobiology 16:75-82. 2004.
35. Pinna G, Dong E, Matsumoto K, Costa E and Guidotti A: In socially isolated mice, the reversal of brain allopregnanolone down-regulation mediates the anti-aggressive action of fluoxetine. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 100:2035-2040. 2003.
36. Pinna G, Broedel O, Eravci M, Stoltenburg-Didinger G, Plueckhan H, Fuxius S, Meinhold H and Baumgartner A: Thyroid hormones in the rat amygdala as common targets for antidepressant drugs, mood stabilizers and sleep deprivation. Biol Psychiatry. 54:1049-1059. 2003.
37. Moreno M, Lombardi A, Beneduce L, Silvestri E, Pinna G, Goglia F and Lanni A: Are the effects of T3 on resting metabolic rate in euthyroid rats entirely caused by T3 itself? Endocrinology 143:504-510. 2002.
38. Pinna G, Brödel O, Visser T, Jeitner A, Grau H, Eravci M, Meinhold H and Baumgartner A: Concentrations of seven iodothyronine metabolites in brain regions and the liver of the adult rat. Endocrinology 143:1789- 1800. 2002.
39. Wang S, Shi N and Pinna G: Effects of pyrethroids on the concentrations of thyroid hormones in the rat serum and brain. Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi (Chinese Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Disease) 20:173-176. 2002.
40. Guidotti A, Dong E, Matsumoto K, Pinna G, Rasmusson AM and Costa E: The socially-isolated mouse: a model to study the putative role of allopregnanolone and 5-dihydroprogesterone in psychiatric disorders. Brain Res Reviews 37:110-115. 2001.
41. Pinna G, Uzunova V, Matsumoto K, Puia G, Mienville JM, Costa E and Guidotti A: Brain allopregnanolone regulates the potency of the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol. Neuropharmacology 39:440-448. 2000.
42. Prengel H, Brödel H, Hiedra L, Pinna G, Eravci M, Meinhold H and Baumgartner A: Effects of tranylcypromine on thyroid hormone metabolism and concentrations in rat brain. Neuropharmacology 39:99- 109. 2000.
43. Eravci M, Pinna G, Meinhold H and Baumgartner A: Effects of pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments on thyroid hormone metabolism and concentrations in rat brain. Endocrinology 141:1027-1040. 2000.
44. Eravci M, Schulz O, Großpietsch T, Pinna G, Brödel O, Meinhold H and Baumgartner A: Gene expression of receptors and enzymes involved in GABAergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission in the CNS of rats behaviorally dependent on ethanol. British Journal of Pharmacology 131:423-432. 2000.
45. Matsumoto K, Uzunova V, Pinna G, Taki K, Uzunov DP, Mienville JM, Watanabe H, Guidotti A and Costa E: Permissive role of brain allopregnanolone content in the regulation of pentobarbital-induced righting reflex loss. Neuropharmacology 38:955-963. 1999.
46. Eravci M, Kley S, Pinna G, Prengel H, Brödel O, Hiedra L, Meinhold H and Baumgartner A: Gene expression of glucose transporters and glycolytic enzymes in the CNS of rats behaviorally dependent on ethanol. Mol Brain Res. 65:103-111. 1999.
47. Pinna G, Hiedra L, Prengel H, Brödel O, Eravci M, Meinhold H and Baumgartner A: Extraction and quantification of thyroid hormones in selected regions and subcellular fractions of the rat brain. Brain Res Protocols. 4:19-28. 1999.
48. Pinna G., Hiedra L., Meinhold H., Eravci M., Prengel H., Brödel O., Gräf K.-J., Stoltenburg-Didinger G., Baumgartner A: 3,3'-Diiodothyronine concentrations in the sera of patients with nonthyroidal illnesses and brain tumors, and of healthy subjects during acute stress. J. Clin. Endocr. & Metab. 83:3071-3077. 1998.
49. Galici R, Pinna G, Schneider H, Stephens DN, and Turski L: Tolerance to and dependence on alprazolam are due to changes in GABAA receptor function and are independent of exposure to experimental setup. Restor Neurol Neurosci. 12:233-237. 1998.
50. Baumgartner A., Hiedra L., Pinna G., Eravci M., Prengel H., Meinhold H: Rat brain type II 5`iodothyronine deiodinase activity is extremely sensitive to stress. J Neurochem 71:817-826. 1998.
51. Baumgartner A, Pinna G, Hiedra L, Bauer F, Wolf J, Eravci M, Prengel H, Brödel O and Meinhold H: Effects of acute administration of ethanol and the µ-opiate agonist etonitazene on thyroid hormone metabolism in rat brain. Psychopharmacology 135:63-69. 1998.
52. Eravci M, Großpietsch T, Pinna G, Schulz O, Kley S, Bachmann M, Wolffgramm J, Götz E, Heyne A, Meinhold H and Baumgartner A: Dopamine receptor gene expression in an animal model of "behavioral dependence" on ethanol. Molecular Brain Res. 50:221-229. 1997.
53. Baumgartner A, Pinna G, Hiedra L, Gaio U, Hessenius C, Campos-Barros A, Eravci M, Prengel H, Thoma R and Meinhold H: Lithium and carbamazepine affect thyroid hormone metabolism in rat brain. Neuropsychopharmacology 16:25-41. 1997.
54. Baumgartner A, Eravci M, Pinna G, Hiedra L, Prengel H, Brödel O and Meinhold H: Thyroid hormone metabolism in the rat brain in an animal model of "behavioral dependence" on ethanol. Neuroscience Letters 227:25-28. 1997.
55. Pinna G, Meinhold H, Hiedra L, Thoma R, Hoell T, Gräf K-J, Stoltenburg-Didinger G, Eravci M, Prengel H, Brödel O, Finke R and Baumgartner: Elevated 3,5-diiodothyronine concentrations in the sera of patients with nonthyroidal illnesses and brain tumors. J. Clin. Endocr. & Metab. 82:1535-1542. 1997.
56. Pinna G, Galici R, Schneider H, Stephens DN and Turski L: Alprazolam dependence prevented by substituting with the ß-carboline abecarnil. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94:2719-2723. 1997.
57. Campos-Barros A, Hoell T, Musa A, Sampaolo S, Stoltenburg G, Pinna G, Eravci M, Meinhold H and Baumgartner: Characteristics of phenolic and tyrosyl ring iodothyronine deiodination and thyroid hormone concentrations in the human central nervous system. J. Clin. Endocr. & Metab. 81:2179-2185. 1996.
58. Musa A, Hessenius C, Gaio U, Campos-Barros A, Pinna G and Baumgartner A: Effects of carbamazepine on thyroid hormone metabolism in rat brain. Behavioural Pharmacology 6:24-25. 1995.
59. Pinna G, Gaio U, Hessenius C, Campos-Barros A, Musa A and Baumgartner A: Effects of lithium on thyroid hormone metabolism in rat brain. Behavioural Pharmacology 6:25-26. 1995.
60. Pinna G, Galici R, Schneider H, Stephens DN and Turski L: Electrophysiological and behavioural evidence that abecarnil suppresses dependence symptoms after alprazolam withdrawal in mice. Behavioural Pharmacology 6:88-89. 1995.
61. Pinna G, Galici R, Schneider H, Stephens DN and Turski L: Effects of ZK 93426 on withdrawal syndrome following chronic alprazolam in mice. Behavioural Pharmacology 6:86-87. 1995.
62. Concas A, Mascia MP, Santoro G, Maciocco E, Pinna G, Sanna E and Biggio G: Failure of GABAergic drugs to modulate 3H-Propofol binding. Neuroscience Research Communication 15:11-19. 1994.

Book Chapters

1. Pinna G: The Neurosteroidogenic Action of Fluoxetine Unveils the Mechanism for the Anxiolytic Property of SSRIs; Chap. 2 Fluoxetine: Pharmacology, Mechanisms of Action and Potential Side Effects, Pharmacology - Research, Safety Testing and Regulation series Pinna G. (Editor) Nova Biomedical Publ. 2015.
2. Pinna G: Anxiety Disorder-Book 2", ISBN 978-953-308-98-5. Published in “Anxiety Disorders” (Edited by Vladimir Kalinin, Publisher: InTech) Chapter 18, pp 307-324. (4800 chapter downloads as of September 2015 from over 150 Countries around the world).
3. Tueting P, Pinna G, and Costa E: Homozygous and heterozygous reeler mouse model of schizophrenia. In Reelin Glycoprotein: Structure, Biology and Roles in Health Disease (ed. Fatemi SH). Springer 2008, pp. 291-309. 2008.

Books:

1. Fluoxetine: Pharmacology, Mechanisms of Action and Potential Side Effects. Nova Publishers. New York. (Editor: G. Pinna)
2. Facilitating Resilience after Trauma: A Translational Approach”. Nova Publishers. New York. (Editor: G. Pinna). 2016

Other Publications

1. Pinna G: PhD thesis. Printed with permission of the FU-Berlin. 1-124. 2001.
2. Pinna G, Hiedra L, Hoell T, Stoltenbur G, Eravci M, Finke R, Meinhold H and Baumgartner: 3,5- diiodothyronine levels are increased in patients with nonthyroidal illnesses. Jahrbuch 1996. Band 2:306-307. 1996.