NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES, NEUROSCIENCE & MENTAL HEALTH

Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders

Main lines of research

RESEARCH LINE: PARKINSON’S DISEASE, PARKINSONISM, TREMOR, DYSTONIAS AND TICS

Line Leaders: Pagonabarraga Mora, Javier, and Martínez-Fernández, Raul

Within this line, the main research areas are:

COGNITIVE DECLINE AND BEHAVIORAL ALTERATIONS IN PARKINSON’S DISEASE

  • Study and in-depth analysis of the neural correlates of cognitive and behavioral alterations in the disease using neurophysiological techniques and structural and functional neuroimaging.
  • Development of sensitive neuropsychological tools for cognitive and functional assessment in Parkinson’s disease.

NEUROMODULATION IN PARKINSON’S DISEASE

  • Definition, description, and prospective follow-up of patients with Parkinson’s disease who are candidates for HIFU or deep brain stimulation, and imaging analysis of changes at the neural network level associated with different types of neuromodulation (TMS, HIFU, DBS).

ATYPICAL PARKINSONISM

  • Study of the neural correlates of neuropsychiatric and cognitive alterations in atypical parkinsonism using structural and functional neuroimaging techniques, as well as biomarkers that facilitate differential diagnosis.

ESSENTIAL TREMOR, DYSTONIAS AND TICS

  • Clinical, neurophysiological, and neuroimaging assessment of patients with essential tremor undergoing HIFU therapy.
  • Neuroimaging, neurophysiological, and genetic studies of patients with primary segmental and generalized dystonias, and patients with Tourette syndrome, and their application to the identification of neuromodulation targets.

TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH – BIOMARKERS AND CELLULAR MODELS

  • Study of biomarkers in different fluids (CSF and plasma) and skin biopsies for the analysis and correlation of pathological and molecular alterations associated with cognitive and neuropsychiatric disorders in Parkinson’s disease and atypical parkinsonism.

 

RESEARCH LINE: HUNTINGTON’S DISEASE, OTHER CHOREAS AND ATAXIAS

Line Leader: Martínez-Horta, Saül .

Within this line, the main research areas are:

HUNTINGTON’S DISEASE

  • Study of metabolic correlates (¹⁸F-FDG PET) of disease progression from the presymptomatic phase to the early stage, and of cognitive, affective, and motivational alterations.
  • Determination of the prevalence and clinical significance of neuropsychiatric features in Huntington’s disease.
  • Development of new instruments for cognitive and functional assessment in Huntington’s disease, and characterization of differentiated cognitive phenotypes.
  • Prospective observational study of Huntington’s disease in a European cohort (Registry Study) and an international cohort (Enroll-HD).
  • Collaboration in coordinated multicenter projects and coordinated Spanish projects.

TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH – BIOMARKERS AND CELLULAR MODELS

  • Identification of progression biomarkers in both premanifest and manifest phases, based on neuroimaging, biological samples (blood, muscle tissue, cerebrospinal fluid), and clinical data.
  • Molecular, clinical, behavioral, and cognitive characterization of the BACHD rat model of Huntington’s disease.

Challenges

Cognitive and Behavioural Dysfunctions in Parkinson Disease

  • Study and understanding of the neural substrates of cognitive impairment in Parkinson disease so as to improve diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
  • Development of specific tools to assess and track cognitive changes in Parkinson disease.

Huntington’s Disease

  • Study of the dynamics of mutant Htt protein aggregation and related neural and cognitive correlates along disease stages in Huntington’s disease.
  • Validation of new instruments to assess and track subtle cognitive changes in pre-manifested and early-stage Huntington’s disease population.

Essential Tremor and Other Movement Disorders

  • Genetic studies and genotype-phenotype correlations in essential tremor.
  • Development of new therapeutic interventions in essential tremor.
  • Neurochemical and structural neuroimaging studies on the pathophysiological bases of essential tremor.

Translational Research – Animal Models of Parkinsonism

  • Behavioural, physiological and pharmacological characterization of animal models of parkinsonism with combined dopaminergic and noradrenergic lesions.
  • Physiopathology of motor, cognitive and behavioural complications linked to antiparkinsonian drugs in animal models of parkinsonism.

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