Higher-Order Corrections to the Effective Gravitational Action from Noether Symmetry Approach

Higher-order corrections of Einstein-Hilbert action of general relativity can be recovered by imposing the existence of a Noether symmetry to a class of theories of gravity where Ricci scalar R and its d'Alembertian $\Box R$ are present. In several cases, it is possible to get exact cosmological solutions or, at least, to simplify dynamics by recovering constants of motion. The main result is that a Noether vector seems to rule the presence of higher-order corrections of gravitaty.