Cód. SSPA: IBiS-B-13
PsyNal is a multidisciplinary team comprised of psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, neuropsychologists, and experts in animal models, genomics and molecular/cell biology that correlates biological findings with clinical finding through animal models, neuroimaging techniques, genetics and immunology. In the past fifteen years, the group has become a reference in the field of early psychosis, with a focus on the investigation of the neurobiological mechanisms and roots of neuropsychiatric disorders. The extensive scientific activity of the group is reflected by almost 500 indexed publications and 30 related research projects funded in competitive national and international calls. Our main hypotheses seek the existence of immunological-inflammatory alterations associated with neuropsychiatric diseases and are developed though clinical and experimental research lines that complement each other.
Research Lines:
1. Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders
- Blood–brain barrier alterations and inflammatory mechanisms (B3Phrenia)
- Glia–inflammasome connection in neurodevelopment and schizophrenia (PI22_01379)
- Inflammasome, vascular alteration, and molecularly targeted treatment (PI-0014-2022)
- Precision medicine in schizophrenia using multi-omics data (SchizOMICS)
- Pharmacogenetics applied to first-episode psychosis (FARMAPRED-PEP)
- Clozapine in psychosis and intellectual disability (CLOZAID)
- Service innovation in early intervention for psychosis
2. Affective Disorders and Treatment-Resistant Depression
- Esketamine nasal spray vs. aripiprazole in treatment-resistant major depression (CESAR)
3. Suicidal Behavior
- Suicide prevention and intervention: social, clinical, and biological aspects (SURVIVE)
- Digital strategies for suicide prevention (PROSODIC)
- European models for depression care and suicide prevention (Ment-Best)
- Connected health strategies for suicide prevention in at-risk populations (La Caixa HR23-00421)
4. Neuroimaging and Translational Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging and genetics in psychiatric and neurological disorders
- Resilience and vulnerability: from neuronal circuits to networks (ResilNet)
5. Neurodevelopment and Child–Adolescent Mental Health
- Maternal–fetal interactions in perinatal depression (BRAWO)
- Impact of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection on offspring neurodevelopment (SIGNATURE)
- Genomics and therapeutic biotypes in autism (ESTEA)
- Methylation, stress, and neuroinflammation in the development of child temperament (SIGNATURE)
- Antipsychotic use in child and adolescent populations (CARES)
- Development of interventions for adolescents with anxiety–depressive symptoms (AGENCIA) and early interventions in emotional instability (HEROE)
6. Diagnostic, Therapeutic Tools and Technological Innovation
- Data science and drug repurposing in schizophrenia (SchizoRWD)
- Automated platform for drug dose equivalences (eDOSE)
- ITEMAS platform: innovation and transfer in the Spanish National Health System (SNS)
- Artificial intelligence and social robotics in interventions for adolescents with anxiety–depressive symptoms (Psybot)
7. Global and Public Mental Health Programs
- Integration of WHO psychological and psychosocial support programs (MentBox)
- Evaluation of public policies on psychotropic drug use in child and adolescent populations (CARES)
8. Science, Society, and Communication
- MenteScopia: transmedia platform for mental health communication targeting youth
- Menssana: science outreach exhibition for mental health promotion and literacy
Our group proposes to build a translational bridge between clinical evidence and experimental findings (imaging, immunological, genomic, cellular activity and animal models) that will allow testing and supporting the relevance of clinical and experimental findings. The affiliation of the group to IBIS allows the formulation of research hypotheses arising in the clinic, their transfer to basic research, and the extraction of results applicable to clinical practice.
