BBSLab

The BBSLab is a research laboratory linked to the Neuropsychology Research Group of the University of Barcelona. The general objective of our studies is to better understand the brain stimulation effects on cognitive function and mental health. By brain stimulation, we understand the effects related to participation in cognitive, physical and social or stimulating activities the possibility of modulating (stimulating) brain activity with non-invasive techniques. In this way, our research focuses on better understanding how the cognitive reserve is associated with greater plasticity or cerebral resilience. Our group is involved in projects with an international dimension that investigate whether the modification of adult life styles may have a protective effect on the development of neuropsychiatric diseases. Also, our group performs experimental investigations using electrical or magnetic stimulation techniques, in order to better understand the nexuses between the induced changes in the cerebral activity and cognition.

Members

David Bartrés-Faz

David Bartrés-Faz

Full Professor at the Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona.

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Full Professor at the Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona. He has been recently awarded with an ICREA Academy Award 2019. He has been leading research since 2003 focused on investigating the effect of lifestyles on brain health and cognitive function in elderly people. From 2005 he started to incorporate the noninvasive brain stimulation techniques to modulate brain networks, exploring the possibility to promote adaptive plasticity changes leading to improved cognitive function.

Cristina Solé-Padullés

Cristina Solé-Padullés

She is currently working on the European project Lifebrain as a postdoctoral researcher.

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During her PhD studies at the BBSLab she investigated the effects of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) on memory performance amongst elders with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), proving a transient improvement of memory function along with an underlying reorganization of brain networks. She also studied the relationships between variables of cognitive reserve and brain structure and function in healthy elders, MCI and Alzheimer’s patients. She is currently working on the European project Lifebrain as a postdoctoral researcher.

Lídia Mulet-Pons

Lídia Mulet-Pons

She is currently working as a technical researcher on the Barcelona Brain Health Initiative (BBHI) project

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She is currently working as a technical researcher on the Barcelona Brain Health Initiative (BBHI) project. She is interested in the influence of living habits and biological factors on cognitive aging, as well as the interaction between them. It focuses on the search for neurobiological markers capable of predicting future cognitive status during healthy aging through electroencephalography, non-invasive brain stimulation, neuroimaging and blood marker techniques.

María Cabello-Toscano

María Cabello-Toscano

She is currently working on the Barcelona Brain Health Initiative (BBHI) project

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She is currently working on the Barcelona Brain Health Initiative (BBHI) project. This aims knowing and understanding how the health of out brain can be maintained. Here, her activity is focused on the analysis and processing of neuroimaging data, for the search of brain ageing markers. Previously she worked as data analyst on the european project SMART4MD (Support Monitoring and Reminder Technology for Mild Dementia), at the group of Basic, Clinical and Epidemiologic Research Group in Mental Health belonging to IBIMA (Biomedical Research Institute of Málaga). She is a Health Engineer specialized on Bioinformatics and Cognitive Neuroscience, and she is specially interested on  Ingeniera de la Salud con especialidad en Bioinformática y Neurociencia Cognitiva, and she is especially interested in healthy or pathological neuronal aging, and how this is reflected in cognition.

Ruben Perellón-Alfonso

Ruben Perellón-Alfonso

He is currently developing novel markers of healthy and pathological aging based on brain plasticity mechanisms

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He is currently developing novel markers of healthy and pathological aging based on brain plasticity mechanisms, revealed by electrophysiology and neurostimulation. His ultimate goal is to use this knowledge to design non-invasive interventions capable of promoting or restoring cognitive performance in aging populations. Additionally, he is interested in multimodal neuroimaging methodology and data analysis.

Lídia Vaqué-Alcázar

Lídia Vaqué-Alcázar

Her research has focused on how cognitive reserve, as well other environmental and genetic variables

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Her research has focused on how cognitive reserve, as well other environmental and genetic variables could impact on the structural and functional age-related brain changes. Currently her research is focused on understand how transcranial electrical stimulation modifies brain activity and if there is a synergistic effect between non-invasive brain stimulation and cognitive training, taking into account the influence of individual environmental and genetic characteristics.

Kilian Abellaneda-Pérez

Kilian Abellaneda-Pérez

His research interests have been centered on the study of the associations between brain neurochemistry and functional connectivity

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His research interests have been centered on the study of the associations between brain neurochemistry and functional connectivity in aging and the possibility of modulating these by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Currently his research is focused in how transcranial electrical stimulation (tDCS) modifies brain activity and to study if there is a synergistic effect between non-invasive brain stimulation and cognitive training. He is also interested in the modeling of the effects of non-invasive brain stimulation.

Ivet Bayés-Marín

Ivet Bayés-Marín

Juan Pablo Martín-Trias

Juan Pablo Martín-Trias

Researcher adhered to the European project Pharmacog ®, funded by Innovative Medicine Initiative

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Researcher adhered to the European project Pharmacog ®, funded by Innovative Medicine Initiative and focused on Alzheimer’s Disease, magnetic resonance and transcranial magnetic stimulation. His research is focused on TMS capacity to interfere with visual memory function and modulate underlying neural networks as evidenced through functional Magnetic Resonance (fMRI). Interested in the relation between Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), brain plasticity and cognitive reserve.

Gabriele Cattaneo

Gabriele Cattaneo

His research interests have been centered on the study of bilingualism in neurodegenerative pathologies.

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His research interests have been centered on the study of bilingualism in neurodegenerative pathologies. Specifically during the last few years he has investigated which general mechanisms of executive control are related to the control of the two languages, how different neurodegenerative pathologies can affect these mechanisms, and how bilingualism can represent a factor of cognitive reserve in normal and pathological aging. Currently his research is focused on the Barcelona Brain Health Initiative-BBHI , a project whose main objective is to investigate what life habits (physical activity, nutrition, cognitive activity, sleep, socialization, etc.) can promote brain health and help to prevent the development of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Roser Sala-Llonch

Roser Sala-Llonch

She is currently working as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Biomedicine at the University of Barcelona.

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She is currently working as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Biomedicine at the University of Barcelona. She is graduated in Systems and Telecommunication engineering, and she obtained her PhD in Neurosciences at the University of Barcelona, under the supervision of Dr. David Bartrés-Faz and Dr Carme Junqué. Her research is focused on the investigation and development of methods for the analysis of brain images including MRI and PET techniques for the multimodal study of brain connectivity and brain networks. One of the most important objectives of her research is to establish reliable connections between the results of theoretical and numerical tests obtained with simulated or virtual data towards the application of the analysis methods in empirical studies, basic neuroscience and clinical research. She is particularly interested in brain changes occurring during healthy aging and Alzheimer’s disease.