About

Dr. Michelle Ciucci leads a laboratory at the University of Wisconsin–Madison dedicated to translational research focused on understanding the mechanisms and developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. Her lab's work centers on investigating the underlying biological processes that contribute to neurodegeneration, with a particular emphasis on diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Through this research, Dr. Ciucci aims to advance therapeutic strategies that can mitigate the progression and impact of these debilitating conditions. The Ciucci Lab is actively engaged in the broader scientific community, participating in various conferences and symposia related to neurodegenerative disease research and voice disorders, reflecting the lab's commitment to both foundational and applied aspects of neuroscience and clinical treatment.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Psychology
• Anesthesia
• Neuroscience
• Internal medicine
• Psychiatry
• Audiology
• Acoustics
• Physics
• Anatomy
• Biology
• Communication
• Surgery
• Endocrinology
• Mathematics

Selected publications

• Effect of barium sulfate, thickener type, and saline solution on the rheological properties of liquids used for instrumental swallowing assessment

  Food Hydrocolloids · 2026-01-14

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Defining Pharyngeal and Upper Esophageal Sphincter Disorders on High‐Resolution Manometry‐Impedance: The Leuven Consensus

  Neurogastroenterology & Motility · 2025-04-09 · 6 citations

  articleOpen access

  INTRODUCTION: The Leuven Consensus provides a classification scheme for the diagnosis of pharyngeal and upper esophageal sphincter (UES) motor disorders using metrics derived from pharyngeal high-resolution manometry-impedance (P-HRM-I). METHODS: Twenty-six experts with broad multidisciplinary backgrounds contributed their knowledge and experience to this initiative via a formal deliberative Delphi process. Guidance on a swallow assessment protocol as well as diagnostic criteria for UES dysfunction and pharyngeal contractile dysfunction is provided. RESULTS: For UES dysfunction, the stepwise evaluation of UES and intrabolus pressure metrics under increasing bolus volume and/or viscosity conditions is used to confirm failure of manometric relaxation and opening of the UES region. For pharyngeal contractile dysfunction, the evaluation of contractile metrics is used to define pharyngeal hypocontractility or hypercontractility. CONCLUSION: These recommendations complement routine instrumental investigations and provide a standardized process, criteria, and nomenclature for P-HRM-I assessment of patients reporting symptoms of oropharyngeal dysphagia.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Corrigendum to ’ The role of ultrasonic vocalizations in rat laryngological investigations’ [Physiology & Behavior volume 294 (2025) start page 1 –end page 10 /article number 114887]

  Physiology & Behavior · 2025-04-02

  erratumOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The role of ultrasonic vocalizations in rat laryngological investigations

  Physiology & Behavior · 2025-03-19 · 1 citations

  reviewOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Neuroimaging of the <i>Pink1-/-</i> Rat Parkinson Disease Model with the Norepinephrine Transporter (NET) Ligand [¹⁸F]NS12137

  Journal of Neuroscience · 2025-06-04 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Evidence suggests that the neurotransmitter norepinephrine may play an important role in Parkinson disease (PD). The norepinephrine transporter (NET) regulates noradrenergic signaling and can serve as an index of noradrenergic innervation in neuroimaging studies. The Pink1-/- rat model, which exhibits many signs similar to PD, notably in the nonmotor domain, exhibits abnormal noradrenergic markers. Here, we sought to (1) implement reference region pharmacokinetic modeling of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with the novel NET ligand [ 18 F]NS12137, (2) validate the resulting indices of NET concentration, and (3) characterize NET in the Pink1-/- model. Long–Evans Pink1-/- male rats were imaged by PET with [ 18 F]NS12137 at 9 and 11 months and compared with wild-type (WT) controls. An additional group of WT rats of both sexes were imaged with [ 18 F]NS12137 PET after pretreatment with the specific and selective NET ligand nisoxetine. Binding in locus coeruleus (LC), thalamus (Thal), and prelimbic area (PrL), regions rich in NET, was analyzed by a two-tissue compartment reversible binding model using a cerebellar reference region. [ 18 F]NS12137 binding exhibited moderate test–retest reproducibility in LC, Thal, and PrL. Nisoxetine blockade yielded substantial reductions of [ 18 F]NS12137 binding in LC. Compared with WT controls, Pink1-/- rats exhibited reduced binding in Thal and PrL. Pharmacokinetic analysis of [ 18 F]NS12137 PET provides a reproducible and specific measure of NET binding and indicates reduced NET in PD-related brain regions in Pink1-/- rats. Noninvasive in vivo [ 18 F]NS12137 PET imaging is therefore a promising method for the study of potential therapies in the Pink1-/- rat.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Stress-Induced Ultrasonic Vocalization in Laboratory Rats and Mice: A Scoping Review

  Brain Sciences · 2024-10-31 · 11 citations

  reviewOpen access

  Introduction: Ultrasonic vocalization (USV) can indicate affective states—including psychosocial stress—in mice and rats. However, stress-induced USV changes could be confounded by laboratory experimental variables such as the type of behavioral stress paradigm, the elicitation method, rodent strain, etc. We sought to provide a review of the current literature to delineate how psychosocial stress-altered rodent USVs may be affected by factors of age, sex, strain, species, elicitation paradigm, and stressor. Methods: We used PubMed, Scopus (Elsevier), PsycINFO (EBSCO), and the following Web of Science (Clarivate) databases: Biological Abstracts, CAB Abstracts, Science Citation Index-Expanded, and Emerging Sources Citation Index. The studies identified by our search strategy were independently screened by two authors with the following inclusion criteria: peer-reviewed, in English, reported original data, and described USV in response to stress in rats or mice. The data extracted included USV acoustic parameters (mean peak frequency and mean amplitude (loudness)), details of the stress and USV elicitation paradigms, rodent species, age, and sex variables. Results: The following screening of 5309 titles/abstracts and 687 full-text articles revealed 148 articles. Footshock (20%), cold exposure (14%), and maternal separation (23.5%) were the most commonly used stress paradigms (duration and type of stressor varied across studies), with the total number of USV calls being the most commonly reported acoustic outcome. In rats, 121 articles described stress-altered USVs, while 25 studies reported the same in mice, and two reported multiple rodent species (rats and mice, alongside other rodent species such as gerbils). With respect to stress-altered USV changes with age, mice and rats increase USV rates after birth, with a peak around 6 to 10 days, and decrease USVs until weanling age. Of the five studies that reported sex-related differences in stress-induced USVs, females had an increased number of calls and lower average peak frequency in response to stress when compared to males. Only two to four studies reported strain-related differences in stress-induced vocalizations in rats and mice, respectively. Conclusions: The data from this review lay the groundwork for better understanding rodent USVs in response to psychosocial stress with effects of elicitation paradigm, stressor, age, and sex.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Methylphenidate differentially affects the social ultrasonic vocalizations of wild-type and prodromal Parkinsonian rats.

  Behavioral Neuroscience · 2024-11-07 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  -/- rats and WT rats. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

  PublisherDOI

• Vocal and tongue exercise in early to mid-stage Parkinson disease using the Pink1-/- rat

  Brain Research · 2024-04-27 · 4 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Positron emission tomography neuroimaging of [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose uptake and related behavior in the Pink1−/− rat model of Parkinson disease

  Frontiers in Neuroscience · 2024-10-15 · 3 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Introduction Parkinson disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition affecting multiple sensorimotor and cognitive systems. The Pink1−/− rat model exhibits vocal, cognitive, and limb use deficits seen in idiopathic PD. We sought to measure glucose metabolism in brain regions in Pink1−/− and wild type (WT) rats, and to associate these to measures of ultrasonic vocalization, cognition, and limb use behavior. Methods Pink1−/− (n = 12) and WT (n = 14) rats were imaged by [ 18 F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in a repeated measures design at approximately 10 months of age and 6 weeks later. Relative regional glucose metabolism was indexed by whole brain normalized FDG uptake, which was calculated for 18 regions identified a priori for comparison. Behavioral measures included tests of communication via ultrasonic vocalization, cognition with 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Test (5-CSRTT), and limb use with Cylinder Test and Challenge Beam. Results Relative glucose metabolism was significantly different in Pink1−/− rats in prelimbic area, striatum, nucleus ambiguus, globus pallidus, and posterior parietal association cortex compared to WT controls. For behavioral measures, Pink1 −/− rats demonstrated quieter vocalizations with a restricted frequency range, and they showed increased number of foot-faults and hindlimb steps (shuffling) in limb motor tests. Significant behavior vs. brain correlations included associations of ultrasonic vocalization parameters with glucose metabolism indices in locus coeruleus and substantia nigra. Conclusion FDG PET reveals abnormalities in relative regional brain glucose metabolism in Pink1−/− rats in brain regions that are important to cognition, vocalization, and limb motor control that are also impacted by Parkinson disease. This method may be useful for mechanistic studies of behavioral deficits and therapeutic interventions in translational studies in the Pink1−/− PD model.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Early ultrasonic vocalization deficits and related thyroarytenoid muscle pathology in the transgenic TgF344-AD rat model of Alzheimer’s disease

  Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience · 2024-01-23 · 7 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Background Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurologic disease and the most common cause of dementia. Classic pathology in AD is characterized by inflammation, abnormal presence of tau protein, and aggregation of β-amyloid that disrupt normal neuronal function and lead to cell death. Deficits in communication also occur during disease progression and significantly reduce health, well-being, and quality of life. Because clinical diagnosis occurs in the mid-stage of the disease, characterizing the prodrome and early stages in humans is currently challenging. To overcome these challenges, we use the validated TgF344-AD (F344-Tg(Prp-APP, Prp-PS1)19/Rrrc) transgenic rat model that manifests cognitive, behavioral, and neuropathological dysfunction akin to AD in humans. Objectives The overarching goal of our work is to test the central hypothesis that pathology and related behavioral deficits such as communication dysfunction in part manifest in the peripheral nervous system and corresponding target tissues already in the early stages. The primary aims of this study are to test the hypotheses that: (1) changes in ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) occur in the prodromal stage at 6 months of age and worsen at 9 months of age, (2) inflammation as well as AD-related pathology can be found in the thyroarytenoid muscle (TA) at 12 months of age (experimental endpoint tissue harvest), and to (3) demonstrate that the TgF344-AD rat model is an appropriate model for preclinical investigations of early AD-related vocal deficits. Methods USVs were collected from male TgF344-AD ( N = 19) and wildtype (WT) Fischer-344 rats ( N = 19) at 6 months ( N = 38; WT: n = 19; TgF344-AD : n = 19) and 9 months of age ( N = 18; WT: n = 10; TgF344-AD : n = 8) and acoustically analyzed for duration, mean power, principal frequency, low frequency, high frequency, peak frequency, and call type. RT-qPCR was used to assay peripheral inflammation and AD-related pathology via gene expressions in the TA muscle of male TgF344-AD rats ( n = 6) and WT rats ( n = 6) at 12 months of age. Results This study revealed a significant reduction in mean power of ultrasonic calls from 6 to 9 months of age and increased peak frequency levels over time in TgF344-AD rats compared to WT controls. Additionally, significant downregulation of AD-related genes Uqcrc2 , Bace2 , Serpina3n , and Igf2, as well as downregulation of pro-inflammatory gene Myd88 was found in the TA muscle of TgF344-AD rats at 12 months of age. Discussion Our findings demonstrate early and progressive vocal deficits in the TgF344-AD rat model. We further provide evidence of dysregulation of AD-pathology-related genes as well as inflammatory genes in the TA muscles of TgF344-AD rats in the early stage of the disease, confirming this rat model for early-stage investigations of voice deficits and related pathology.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant R01DC014358

  NIH · $2.7M · 2022

• Preclinical trial for dysarthria treatment in Parkinson disease

  NIH · $3.3M · 2020–2025

• NIH Grant F32DC009363

  NIH · $72k · 2010

Frequent coauthors

• Cynthia A. Kelm‐Nelson

  University of Wisconsin–Madison

  28 shared

• Timothy M. McCulloch

  University of Wisconsin–Madison

  27 shared

• Matthew R. Hoffman

  University of Iowa

  22 shared

• Nadine P. Connor

  University of Wisconsin–Madison

  19 shared

• Corinne A. Jones

  The University of Texas at Austin

  17 shared

• Jesse D. Hoffmeister

  University of Minnesota

  16 shared

• Jason D. Mielens

  13 shared

• Jack J. Jiang

  University of Wisconsin–Madison

  13 shared

Education

• M.D., Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

  University of Wisconsin-Madison

  2002

• B.S., Biology

  University of Wisconsin-Madison

  1998

Awards & honors

• five-year, $3.8 million federal research grant to study swal…