29/05/2024 - Press release
An international study led by the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute has demonstrated, for the first time, the role of two proteins in the activation and deactivation of the system through which drugs act against schizophrenia symptoms. These two proteins are potential targets for developing new drugs aimed at specific symptoms of the disease, avoiding the side effects of current treatments. The study analyzed how certain molecules act on a serotonin cell receptor, which could allow for differentiated effects on schizophrenia symptoms without affecting other brain processes.
Més informació "New Avenues to Developing Personalized Treatments for Schizophrenia"
21/02/2024 - Press release
This is an international collaborative work coordinated by the Hospital del Mar Research Institut and the Hospital Clínic-IDIBAPS, published in the Journal of Neurology. This new tool may make it possible to adapt the monitoring and treatment of patients to their future evolution, opting for the most effective, but with more possible side effects in those with worse prognosis. The exact factors behind the progression of disability in multiple sclerosis, a disease with great heterogeneity, are unknown, which is why it is so important to have tools of this type.
09/02/2024 - Press release
An international study has used a computational biology tool that, by analysing a multitude of biological data from multiple sclerosis patients ranging from genetic information to the whole organism, reveals the relationship between elements of different biological scales and improves our knowledge and the diagnosis of the disease. International research led by the Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS) at Pompeu Fabra University, in collaboration with Hospital del Mar, Hospital Clínic, Charité - Medical University of Berlin, and the universities of Oslo and Genoa, has developed a computational biology tool, based on multi-level network analysis, to achieve an integrated vision of multiple sclerosis. This tool could be used to study other complex diseases such as types of dementia.
10/01/2024 - Press release
Functional alterations in the brains of individuals with this condition coincide with the distribution of these neurons in the same brain. These neurons are responsible for filtering external information reaching the brain. Their functioning is altered in individuals with schizophrenia, which explains the majority of their symptoms. This discovery is the first time that this alteration can be identified as a possible origin of schizophrenic symptoms, and it opens the door to seeking new targeted treatments with fewer patient side effects.
05/10/2023 - Press release
A study led by researchers at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute identifies that the deterioration of the blood-brain barrier, which regulates exchanges between the blood and the brain, can be used to identify which of these patients will have a more rapid progression. In the patients analysed, the risk of accelerated disease progression increases by 8% for every 10% increase in the level of albumin in cerebrospinal fluid and blood (a biomarker of damage to the blood-brain barrier). The results indicate that restoring the blood-brain barrier's ability to protect the brain could help slow the worsening of patients. This marker will allow a more accurate assessment of the prognosis of patients with cognitive impairment caused by Alzheimer's and other dementias. The work is published in the journal Alzheimer's&Dementia.
10/08/2023 - Press release
A team from the Hospital del Mar Research Institute has, for the first time, detected fetal DNA in the olfactory neuroepithelium of women who have given birth to a boy. A new study will now be launched, which will also analyze female fetal DNA. The team of researchers has been able to confirm that women with depression had much lower levels of cells from newborns than those who were not suffering from this disorder. This discovery paves the way to studying the DNA exchange between the mother and the fetus during pregnancy as a factor that protects women against depression, as well as its relationship with other psychiatric disorders.
28/07/2023 - Press release
Cannabis use disorder (CUD) affects over 14 million individuals in the US.? Despite the urgent need, there are no FDA-approved medications to treat CUD; behavioral treatments have shown limited benefit. AEF0117 is the first of a new pharmacologic class, type 1 cannabinoid receptor signaling-specific inhibitors (CB1-SSi), with a unique mechanism of action and greater safety and efficacy than prior generations of CB1 inhibitors.? In a phase 2a clinical study in volunteers with CUD, AEF0117 produced statistically significant reductions in the positive subjective and reinforcing effects of smoked cannabis.
15/06/2023 - Press release
A study published in iScience, spearheaded by the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Centre, part of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, validates these tools for monitoring potential sufferers. Data was analysed from 56 volunteers who participated in the PENSA study, designed to determine whether it is possible to slow cognitive decline in stages prior to the onset of dementia through a combination of a lifestyle intervention programme and the consumption of a preparation based on a green tea component. It was possible to monitor the evolution of the cognitive functions of these people much more closely and continuously than with standard tests. This paves the way for the adaptation, practically in real time, of treatments that can be adjusted to changes in cognitive decline.
02/12/2022 - Press release
The Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute is leading the study that will evaluate whether a new molecule can be used to improve the cognitive performance of people with Down syndrome. The study is part of the ICOD project for the improvement of cognition in Down syndrome, promoted by the European Union, which is funding a project of this type for the first time. The treatment has already passed the trial phase with volunteers without Down syndrome, which sought to certify the safety and tolerability of the medicine. In this new phase, the safety of the treatment in people with Down syndrome will be validated and the first indications of effectiveness will be obtained. It is estimated that results may be available by mid-2023.
16/11/2022 - Press release
A study led by the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Centre (BBRC), a research unit from the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, and the University of Gothenburg, has compared the validity of nine biomarkers for the day-to-day diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in hospital centres. The work involved a cohort of patients from Hospital del Mar with various neurological pathologies. The researchers analysed the presence of nine variants of the Tau protein in blood samples from these people. Some of these blood markers are just as useful for detecting Alzheimer's as those measured in the reference test used, namely the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid obtained by lumbar puncture. Less invasive plasma biomarker determinations than those performed after a lumbar puncture may provide a tool for improving the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and determining which individuals should undergo further testing to confirm the diagnosis. The work has been published in the leading journal in this field, Alzheimer's & Dementia.
© Institut Hospital del Mar
d'Investigacions MèdiquesLegal Notice and Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Site Index | Accessibility | Find Us | Contact
