Mariarita Capizzi

@arnascivico.it

Medical Doctor, Children neuropsychiatric
ARNAS CIVICO Di Cristina Benfratelli

Mariarita Capizzi


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https://researchid.co/mariarita.capizzi

RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS

Neurology (clinical), Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
12

Scopus Publications

135

Scholar Citations

6

Scholar h-index

5

Scholar i10-index

Scopus Publications

  • Risk factors for electrographic seizures in infants after cardiac surgery and their association with outcomes: a retrospective cohort study
    Marco Ranucci, Massimo Mastrangelo, Federica Sperandeo, Martina Lodovici, Rossana Lamastra, et al.
    Scientific Reports, 2026
  • Rare Primary Headaches in Children: A Narrative Review
    Edvige Correnti, Sofia D’Agostino, Federica Cernigliaro, Floriana Ferro, Giulia Manfrè, et al.
    Biomedicines, 2026
    Headache is a very common disorder in children and adolescents. While migraine and tension headaches are well-known and diagnosed by pediatricians, a group of primary headaches in children, rare in frequency, are poorly understood and likely underestimated by physicians, resulting in delayed diagnosis and treatment. This review aims to provide an updated overview of these clinical forms, considering new evidence. We will present the main clinical, therapeutic, and pathophysiological aspects and possible future hypotheses, with specific reference to pediatric cases of the following clinical forms: cough headache, thunderclap headache, cold headache, primary stabbing headache, nummular headache, hypnic headache, red ear syndrome, and non-odontogenic orofacial pain. These clinical forms currently pose a major diagnostic challenge for pediatricians and represent a source of serious disability for children and adolescents.
  • Amplitude-Integrated/Continuous Electroencephalography for Early Detection of Low Cardiac Output After Chest Closure in an Infant
    Alessandro Barbaria, Mariarita Capizzi, Federica Sperandeo, Gloria Castelli, Giuseppe Isgrò, et al.
    Jacc Case Reports, 2025
  • Children’s Headache Through Drawings: A Narrative Review and a Portrait Gallery
    Floriana Ferro, Caterina Gaspari, Giulia Manfrè, Federica Cernigliaro, Daniela D’Agnano, et al.
    Life, 2025
    Headache represents one of the most prevalent and disabling conditions in the pediatric population, with significant repercussions on mental and psychological well-being, as well as on academic achievement and social functioning, ultimately leading to a marked reduction in quality of life. Currently, the diagnosis of headache is based on the clinical criteria of the third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3). However, the characteristics of headache may differ between adults and children, as well as the ability of children to provide a complete description of the pain and associated symptoms. The immature narrative skills of children can represent a limitation in defining the clinical phenotype of headache, making the diagnosis more complex. This is even more challenging when extracting information about the characteristics of the headache in children whose verbal expression is poorly developed or completely absent. Given these limitations, clinical psychology has long used drawing as an effective diagnostic instrument to bypass verbal communication barriers. This tool provides unique access to children’s psychological and emotional states, as a direct window into their inner world and as an expressive medium that often generates more detailed, accurate, and clinically actionable information, compared to verbal reports alone. For these reasons, drawing has been recognized as a valuable diagnostic tool for decades, with multiple studies demonstrating specificity and accuracy rates comparable to standard clinical assessments. Particularly for young children, drawings may give access to fundamental information that might otherwise remain inaccessible, thereby allowing both accurate diagnosis and individualized treatment planning. Multiple studies have highlighted and confirmed the graphic differences between representations of various types of headaches and the undeniable utility of an “artistic diagnosis” alongside the clinical one. Furthermore, the literature suggests and encourages the use of drawing in clinical practice, both in the diagnostic process and during subsequent follow-up, as an effective, enjoyable, easy-to-use, and low-cost resource. Accordingly, we propose a narrative review accompanied by a curated collection of drawings that may help identify and categorize specific correlations between graphic representations and clinical phenotypes, such as pain location, quality, intensity, association with nausea and vomiting, photophobia and phonophobia, and types of migraine aura. Our goal is to create a visual reference that can aid clinicians in the accurate interpretation of children’s drawings. Additionally, we aim to promote the integration of this method into routine clinical practice to improve diagnostic precision and support a more child-centered model of care. We also hope to propose new iconographic models to further enrich the diagnostic framework.
  • Proceedings of the 15th International Newborn Brain Conference: Neonatal Neurocritical Care, seizures, and continuous aEEG and /or EEG monitoring: Fota Island, Cork, Ireland, February 28th - March 2nd 2024
    Nicholas Abend, Ramy Abramsky, Ceyda Acun, Jehier Afifi, Alexandra Santana Almansa, et al.
    Journal of Neonatal Perinatal Medicine, 2024
  • Orofacial Migraine and Other Idiopathic Non-Dental Facial Pain Syndromes: A Clinical Survey of a Social Orofacial Patient Group
    Federica Reina, Giuseppe Salemi, Mariarita Capizzi, Salvatore Lo Cascio, Antonio Marino, et al.
    International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2023
    Background: Orofacial pain syndromes (OFPs) are a heterogeneous group of syndromes mainly characterized by painful attacks localized in facial and oral structures. According to the International Classification of Orofacial Pain (ICOP), the last three groups (non-dental facial pain, NDFP) are cranial neuralgias, facial pain syndromes resembling primary headache syndromes, and idiopathic orofacial pain. These are often clinical challenges because the symptoms may be similar or common among different disorders. The diagnostic efforts often induce a complex diagnostic algorithm and lead to several imaging studies or specialized tests, which are not always necessary. The aim of this study was to describe the encountered difficulties by these patients during the diagnostic–therapeutic course. Methods: This study was based on the responses to a survey questionnaire, administered to an Italian Facebook Orofacial Patient Group, searching for pain characteristics and diagnostic–therapeutic care courses. The questionnaire was filled out by patients affected by orofacial pain, who were 18 years and older, using a free online tool available on tablets, smartphones, and computers. Results: The sample was composed of 320 subjects (244F/76M), subdivided by age range (18–35 ys: 17.2%; 36–55 ys: 55.0%; >55 ys 27.8%). Most of the patients were affected by OFP for more than 3 years The sample presented one OFP diagnosis in 60% of cases, more than one in 36.2% of cases, and 3.8% not classified. Trigeminal neuralgia is more represented, followed by cluster headaches and migraines. About 70% had no pain remission, showing persisting background pain (VAS median = 7); autonomic cranial signs during a pain attack ranged between 45 and 65%. About 70% of the subjects consulted at least two different specialists. Almost all received drug treatment, about 25% received four to nine drug treatments, 40% remained unsatisfied, and almost 50% received no pharmacological treatment, together with drug therapy. Conclusion: To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study on an OFP population not selected by a third-level specialized center. The authors believe this represents a realistic perspective of what orofacial pain subjects suffer during their diagnostic–therapeutic course and the medical approach often results in unsatisfactory outcomes.
  • Familial hemiplegic migraine in pediatric patients: A genetic, clinical, and follow-up study
    Giuseppe Donato Mangano, Maria Rita Capizzi, Elide Mantuano, Liana Veneziano, Giuseppe Santangelo, et al.
    Headache, 2023
    ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to describe a cohort of pediatric patients with genetically confirmed familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM). The knowledge of genotype–phenotype correlations may suggest prognostic factors associated with severe phenotypes.BackgroundHemiplegic migraine is a rare disease and data concerning the pediatric population are even more rare as they are often extrapolated from mixed cohorts.MethodsWe selected patients who met International Classification of Headache Disorders, third edition criteria for FHM, who had a molecular diagnosis, and whose first attack occurred under the age of 18 years.ResultsWe enrolled nine patients (seven males and two females) first referred to our three centers. Three of the nine (33%) patients had calcium voltage‐gated channel subunit alpha1 A (CACNA1A) mutations, five (55%) had ATPase Na+/K+ transporting subunit alpha 2 (ATP1A2) mutations, and one had both genetic mutations. The patients experienced at least one aura feature other than hemiplegia during the first attack. The mean (SD) duration of HM attacks in the sample was 11.3 (17.1) h; 3.8 (6.1) h in the ATP1A2 group, and 24.3 (23.5) h in the CACNA1A group. The mean (SD, range) duration of follow‐up was 7.4 (2.2, 3–10) years. During the first year from the disorder's onset, only four patients had additional attacks. Over the course of follow‐up, the attack frequency overall was 0.4 attacks/year without a difference between the two groups (CACNA1A and ATP1A2).ConclusionThe study data show that most of our patients with early‐onset FHM experienced infrequent and non‐severe attacks, which improved over time. Furthermore, the clinical course revealed neither the appearance of novel neurological disorders or a deterioration of basic neurological or cognitive functioning.
  • Headache onset after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis
    Matteo Castaldo, Marta Waliszewska-Prosół, Maria Koutsokera, Micaela Robotti, Marcin Straburzyński, et al.
    Journal of Headache and Pain, 2022
    Background Vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are used to reduce the risk of developing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Despite the significant benefits in terms of reduced risk of hospitalization and death, different adverse events may present after vaccination: among them, headache is one of the most common, but nowadays there is no summary presentation of its incidence and no description of its main features. Methods We searched PubMed and EMBASE covering the period between January 1st 2020 and August 6th, 2021, looking for record in English and with an abstract and using three main search terms (with specific variations): COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2; Vaccination; headache/adverse events. We selected manuscript including information on subjects developing headache after injection, and such information had to be derived from a structured form (i.e. no free reporting). Pooled estimates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Analyses were carried out by vaccine vs. placebo, by first vs. second dose, and by mRNA-based vs. “traditional” vaccines; finally, we addressed the impact of age and gender on post-vaccine headache onset. Results Out of 9338 records, 84 papers were included in the review, accounting for 1.57 million participants, 94% of whom received BNT162b2 or ChAdOx1. Headache was generally the third most common AE: it was detected in 22% (95% CI 18–27%) of subjects after the first dose of vaccine and in 29% (95% CI 23–35%) after the second, with an extreme heterogeneity. Those receiving placebo reported headache in 10–12% of cases. No differences were detected across different vaccines or by mRNA-based vs. “traditional” ones. None of the studies reported information on headache features. A lower prevalence of headache after the first injection of BNT162b2 among older participants was shown. Conclusions Our results show that vaccines are associated to a two-fold risk of developing headache within 7 days from injection, and the lack of difference between vaccine types enable to hypothesize that headache is secondary to systemic immunological reaction than to a vaccine-type specific reaction. Some descriptions report onset within the first 24 h and that in around one-third of the cases, headache has migraine-like features with pulsating quality, phono and photophobia; in 40–60% of the cases aggravation with activity is observed. The majority of patients used some medication to treat headache, the one perceived as the most effective being acetylsalicylic acid.
  • The Pediatric Trochlear Migraine: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Implications
    Vincenzo Raieli, Federica Reina, Daniela D’Agnano, Giovanna Martina Nocera, Mariarita Capizzi, et al.
    Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2022
    Trochlear Migraine has been recently described as the concurrence of strictly unilateral migraine and ipsilateral trochleodynia with relief of migraine after successful treatment of trochleodynia. This disorder has been interpreted as “cluster-tic syndrome” or “seizure-triggered migraine”. Trochlear Migraine is unrecognized and rarely described in childhood. The aim of this study is to review the few cases of Trochlear Migraine reported in the literature in addition to the cases observed in our clinical experience. In particular, our cases showed recurrent attacks of severe and pulsating headache associated with nausea, vomiting, phonophobia, photophobia, and strict trochlear localization of pain. They often presented with alternating side attacks. Therefore, we suggest that the term “Trochlear Migraine” should be reserved for clinical migraine attacks strictly localized in the trochlear region, and we assume that the excessive increase in descriptions of new primary headache syndromes, according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders, can be probably be ascribed to the common physiopathological mechanisms characterizing these forms of migraine.
  • Study on “Atypical” Migraine Auras in the Pediatric Age: The Role of Cortical Spreading Depression and the Physiopathogenetic Hypothesis Arising from Our Clinical Cases
    Vincenzo Raieli, Mariarita Capizzi, Antonio Marino, Giovanni Di Nardo, Umberto Raucci, et al.
    Life, 2022
    Migraine is a complex neurologic disorder by which several systems of the central nervous system (autonomous system, affective, cognitive, sensory and motor system) may be affected on different levels. About a fourth of migraine patients have migraine auras. The most common aura is the visual aura followed by the sensorial aura but motor deficits, as well as deficits of higher cortical centers (disorders of thinking, orientation, coherence, or concentration), may occur as well. In analogy with a headache diary, an aura diary can deliver important help in the diagnostic process of rare migraine manifestations and prevent the under-diagnosis of unusual migraine manifestations. Complex migraine manifestations are a diagnosis of exclusion, and a broad diagnostic work-up is necessary in order to exclude dangerous neurologic pathologies. In addition, here, we discuss the atypical clinical presentation and possible physio-pathogenetic related aspects of these atypical migraine aura features in the developmental age. In addition, we wanted to stress and analyze the clinical aspects of our children/adolescents with atypical auras, which seem to be more difficult to frame with the mechanisms originally proposed to explain the physio-pathogenetic relationship between CSD and aura. Finally, we discuss in detail the complex aspects of this topic on the basis of available data and propose new terminology: “Multiple, Synchronous and Asynchronous, Cortical and Subcortical Spreading Depression”.
  • Cranial Autonomic Symptoms and Migraine: What Relationship and What Meaning? A Review
    Salvatore Lo Cascio, Edvige Correnti, Sofia D’Agostino, Mariarita Capizzi, Antonio Marino, et al.
    Journal of Integrative Neuroscience, 2022
  • Resolution of enuresis with aripiprazole in children with psychiatric disorders: two case reports
    Rosaria Nardello, Fulvio Guccione, Claudia Gliubizzi, Antonio Marino, Mariarita Capizzi, et al.
    Journal of Medical Case Reports, 2021

RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

  • Rare Primary Headaches in Children: A Narrative Review
    E Correnti, S D’Agostino, F Cernigliaro, F Ferro, G Manfrè, C Gaspari, ...
    Biomedicines 14 (2), 291 , 2026
    2026
    Citations: 1
  • Children’s headache through drawings: a narrative review and a portrait gallery
    F Ferro, C Gaspari, G Manfrè, F Cernigliaro, D D’Agnano, R Panzica, ...
    Life 15 (7), 996 , 2025
    2025
    Citations: 4
  • Status Epilepticus and Epileptic Seizures in Newborns with Congenital Heart Diseases
    SGRM Capizzi M.1, Mastrangelo M.1, Isgrò G.2, Satriano A.2, Giamberti A.3 ...
    Mohamed A. Mohamed 3, S373 , 2024
    2024
  • Orofacial migraine and other idiopathic non-dental facial pain syndromes: a clinical survey of a social orofacial patient group
    F Reina, G Salemi, M Capizzi, S Lo Cascio, A Marino, G Santangelo, ...
    International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20 (20), 6946 , 2023
    2023
    Citations: 10
  • Familial hemiplegic migraine in pediatric patients: A genetic, clinical, and follow‐up study
    GD Mangano, MR Capizzi, E Mantuano, L Veneziano, G Santangelo, ...
    Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain 63 (7), 889-898 , 2023
    2023
    Citations: 8
  • Headache onset after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis
    M Castaldo, M Waliszewska-Prosół, M Koutsokera, M Robotti, ...
    The Journal of Headache and Pain 23 (1), 41 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 73
  • Cranial autonomic symptoms and migraine: what relationship and what meaning? A review
    SL Cascio, E Correnti, S D’Agostino, M Capizzi, A Marino, R Meli, ...
    Journal of Integrative Neuroscience 21 (6), 166 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 11
  • The Pediatric Trochlear Migraine: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Implications
    V Raieli, F Reina, D D’Agnano, GM Nocera, M Capizzi, F Marchese, ...
    Journal of Clinical Medicine 11 (10), 2826 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 5
  • European Headache Federation School of Advanced Studies (EHF-SAS). Headache onset after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis
    M Castaldo, M Waliszewska-Prosół, M Koutsokera, M Robotti, ...
    J Headache Pain 23 (1), 41 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 10
  • Study on “atypical” migraine auras in the pediatric age: the role of cortical spreading depression and the physiopathogenetic hypothesis arising from our clinical cases
    V Raieli, M Capizzi, A Marino, G Di Nardo, U Raucci, P Parisi
    Life 12 (3), 450 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 11
  • Sneezing as conversion disorder: Different faces of the same fragility
    F Reina, A Marino, GM Nocera, M Capizzi, A D'Amico, E Correnti, R Pitino, ...
    Journal of the Neurological Sciences 429 , 2021
    2021
  • Familiar hemiplegic migraine: A preliminary clinical and follow-up study in a pediatric sample
    M Capizzi, G Quatrosi, GM Nocera, F Guccione, L Vetri, R Nardello, ...
    Journal of the Neurological Sciences 429 , 2021
    2021
  • Familial hemiplegic migraine: a preliminary clinical and follow-up study in a pediatric sample
    M Capizzi, G Quatrosi, GM Nocera, F Guccione, A Santangelo, L Vetri, ...
    JOURNAL OF HEADACHE AND PAIN 22 (SUPPL 1), 81-82 , 2021
    2021
  • Resolution of enuresis with aripiprazole in children with psychiatric disorders: two case reports
    R Nardello, F Guccione, C Gliubizzi, A Marino, M Capizzi, S Mangano
    Journal of Medical Case Reports 15 (1), 209 , 2021
    2021
    Citations: 2
  • Manifestazioni neurologiche ed oftalmiche: sintomi d'allarme per una diagnosi precoce di Neuro-Behçet pediatrico
    A Santangelo, S D'Elios, S Cappelli, A Marino, G Santangelo, M Capizzi, ...
    Atti del XIX Congresso del Gruppo di studio di Reumatologia della Società … , 2021
    2021

MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

  • Headache onset after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis
    M Castaldo, M Waliszewska-Prosół, M Koutsokera, M Robotti, ...
    The Journal of Headache and Pain 23 (1), 41 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 73
  • Cranial autonomic symptoms and migraine: what relationship and what meaning? A review
    SL Cascio, E Correnti, S D’Agostino, M Capizzi, A Marino, R Meli, ...
    Journal of Integrative Neuroscience 21 (6), 166 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 11
  • Study on “atypical” migraine auras in the pediatric age: the role of cortical spreading depression and the physiopathogenetic hypothesis arising from our clinical cases
    V Raieli, M Capizzi, A Marino, G Di Nardo, U Raucci, P Parisi
    Life 12 (3), 450 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 11
  • Orofacial migraine and other idiopathic non-dental facial pain syndromes: a clinical survey of a social orofacial patient group
    F Reina, G Salemi, M Capizzi, S Lo Cascio, A Marino, G Santangelo, ...
    International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20 (20), 6946 , 2023
    2023
    Citations: 10
  • European Headache Federation School of Advanced Studies (EHF-SAS). Headache onset after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis
    M Castaldo, M Waliszewska-Prosół, M Koutsokera, M Robotti, ...
    J Headache Pain 23 (1), 41 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 10
  • Familial hemiplegic migraine in pediatric patients: A genetic, clinical, and follow‐up study
    GD Mangano, MR Capizzi, E Mantuano, L Veneziano, G Santangelo, ...
    Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain 63 (7), 889-898 , 2023
    2023
    Citations: 8
  • The Pediatric Trochlear Migraine: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Implications
    V Raieli, F Reina, D D’Agnano, GM Nocera, M Capizzi, F Marchese, ...
    Journal of Clinical Medicine 11 (10), 2826 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 5
  • Children’s headache through drawings: a narrative review and a portrait gallery
    F Ferro, C Gaspari, G Manfrè, F Cernigliaro, D D’Agnano, R Panzica, ...
    Life 15 (7), 996 , 2025
    2025
    Citations: 4
  • Resolution of enuresis with aripiprazole in children with psychiatric disorders: two case reports
    R Nardello, F Guccione, C Gliubizzi, A Marino, M Capizzi, S Mangano
    Journal of Medical Case Reports 15 (1), 209 , 2021
    2021
    Citations: 2
  • Rare Primary Headaches in Children: A Narrative Review
    E Correnti, S D’Agostino, F Cernigliaro, F Ferro, G Manfrè, C Gaspari, ...
    Biomedicines 14 (2), 291 , 2026
    2026
    Citations: 1
  • Status Epilepticus and Epileptic Seizures in Newborns with Congenital Heart Diseases
    SGRM Capizzi M.1, Mastrangelo M.1, Isgrò G.2, Satriano A.2, Giamberti A.3 ...
    Mohamed A. Mohamed 3, S373 , 2024
    2024
  • Sneezing as conversion disorder: Different faces of the same fragility
    F Reina, A Marino, GM Nocera, M Capizzi, A D'Amico, E Correnti, R Pitino, ...
    Journal of the Neurological Sciences 429 , 2021
    2021
  • Familiar hemiplegic migraine: A preliminary clinical and follow-up study in a pediatric sample
    M Capizzi, G Quatrosi, GM Nocera, F Guccione, L Vetri, R Nardello, ...
    Journal of the Neurological Sciences 429 , 2021
    2021
  • Familial hemiplegic migraine: a preliminary clinical and follow-up study in a pediatric sample
    M Capizzi, G Quatrosi, GM Nocera, F Guccione, A Santangelo, L Vetri, ...
    JOURNAL OF HEADACHE AND PAIN 22 (SUPPL 1), 81-82 , 2021
    2021
  • Manifestazioni neurologiche ed oftalmiche: sintomi d'allarme per una diagnosi precoce di Neuro-Behçet pediatrico
    A Santangelo, S D'Elios, S Cappelli, A Marino, G Santangelo, M Capizzi, ...
    Atti del XIX Congresso del Gruppo di studio di Reumatologia della Società … , 2021
    2021