08/06/2026 - Press release
A study led by the Institut de Neurociències of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona suggests that assessing the relationship between two hormones present in both men and women, estradiol and progesterone, could help better understand how memory works. Assessing the relationship between a person's progesterone and estradiol levels at a given moment could help determine when they are in a biologically optimal state for learning and memory. This is the conclusion of a study led by ICREA researcher Raül Andero at the Institut de Neurociències of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (INc-UAB), which found that the ratio between these two sex hormones measured in saliva can predict participants' performance in a learning and memory task.
Més informació "Can memory be predicted with a saliva test?"
04/06/2026 - General information
At the first edition of the 'Rising Talent for a World without Alzheimer's' event, held at La Pedrera-Casa Milà on 21 May. The first edition of the 'Rising Talent for a World without Alzheimer's' meeting awarded prizes to two researchers linked to the Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRIB). The event brought together more than 160 researchers from the seven institutions that make up the HUB Alzheimer Barcelona, in an initiative designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, knowledge exchange and the creation of new synergies.
12/05/2026 - Press release
In an article published in the journal Neuron, Dr. Rodrigo Quian Quiroga proposes that the way we organize our memories constitutes the mechanism that gives rise to human intelligence. The human brain generates memories from the representation of the stimuli it receives, endowing them with meaning. This is a mechanism of abstraction that does not merely store information. Published scientific evidence indicates that this mechanism is not found in other animal species, suggesting that it is a key element in the construction of our intelligence.
Més informació "The way we remember is the basis of human intelligence"
30/04/2026 - General information
She is one of the five researchers selected in this year's edition of these prestigious awards. The L'Oréal-Unesco "For Women in Science" programme seeks to promote and recognise the work of women scientists in Spain and to encourage scientific vocations among younger generations. The L'Oréal-Unesco "For Women in Science" research awards have selected Dr Sara Mederos, coordinator of the Neural Computation Laboratory at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute, in this year's edition of the awards. The award ceremony took place in Madrid on 29 April.
Més informació "Dr Sara Mederos wins one of the L’Oréal-Unesco “For Women in Science”"
20/04/2026 - General information
Initial data from this European programme, which is being carried out in Santa Coloma de Gramenet and in the Sant Martí district of Barcelona, indicate that nearly 33% of participating women have received a diagnosis of depression, compared with 20% in the case of men. The European MENTBEST project, which is being carried out in Santa Coloma de Gramenet and in the Sant Martí district of Barcelona, has now reached its halfway point after 12 months. The initial data from the study, unique in Spain and being conducted in five European countries, promoted by the European Union, show a higher prevalence of mental health problems in women.
11/02/2026 - Institutional news
On 6 February, the XV Winter Olympic Games officially began. This year, the Games are being held in Milan-Cortina, Italy. This is a top-level sporting event that brings together athletes from around the world and mobilises numerous professionals across different fields, including anti-doping control. In this context, four professionals from the Catalonia Anti-Doping Laboratory - Rosa Ventura, Rosalia Ramírez, Deamelys Hernández and Manfred Conjeaud - will travel to Rome to join the Olympic laboratory team responsible for doping controls during the competition. Rosa Ventura will join the management and supervision group overseeing analytical activities, while Rosalia Ramírez, Deamelys Hernández and Manfred Conjeaud will work in the detection of anabolic steroids, one of the key analytical areas in sports anti-doping control.
09/02/2026 - General information
The use of a standardized protocol significantly reduces headache after lumbar puncture, one of the most common side effects of this procedure, based on the analysis of more than 1,100 punctures. Improving the tolerability of lumbar puncture is key to advancing research in the preclinical stages of Alzheimer's disease and has been made possible thanks to the commitment of volunteers from the ALFA cohort. The study, published in Nature Scientific Reports, involved 724 cognitively healthy adults from the longitudinal ALFA cohort at the BBRC, with the support of the "la Caixa" Foundation.
05/02/2026 - Press release
A recent study from the Hospital del Mar Research Institute shows that cannabis use is associated with increased brain inflammation, which may affect the therapeutic effectiveness of antipsychotic treatments. The study analysed brain MRI scans from nearly 100 individuals-patients with first-episode psychosis and healthy volunteers-using a novel technique that measures extracellular free water. This is the first study to apply this method to examine the effects of cannabis use in psychosis. The findings are published in Molecular Psychiatry and reinforce recommendations against cannabis use in people with psychotic disorders.
Més informació "Cannabis use may influence treatment mechanisms in first-episode psychosis"
02/02/2026 - General information
The Machine of Forgetting is a guide to understanding how memory works and how it defines who we are. Through eleven questions, it explores a wide range of issues, from how we store memories to what makes us human, including the possibility that androids might have feelings. Published by Editorial Ariel, the new book by Dr. Rodrigo Quian Quiroga, neuroscientist at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and ICREA professor, opens the door to the latest advances in neuroscience and artificial intelligence research, while also establishing parallels with art, philosophy, and football.
13/01/2026 - General information
The journal Nature Mental Health has published a landmark scientific article on the prevention of depression and suicidal behaviour through an evidence-based programme designed to reduce depression and suicidal behaviour: the 4-Level Community Intervention, developed by the European Alliance Against Depression (EAAD). The EAAD approach offers a sustainable model of community-based mental health care that can be effectively adapted to a wide range of contexts, including current and future public health emergencies.
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