"Nowhere is it written that Alzheimer's is invincible"Pasqual Maragall
ResearchThe BBRC initiated participant visits for two AMYPAD studies: the Diagnosis and Patient Management Study, and the Prognosis and Natural History Study. AMYPAD is a European consortium of 9 institutions to investigate the relevance of the PET neuroimaging technique of beta-amyloid to Alzheimer's disease. + info
Under the title “We give voice to Alzheimer's research“, the annual event of the Foundation gave visibility to the essential role of all people who join forces in the fight for a future without Alzheimer's: researchers, therapists, participants, partners and collaborators took to the stage of the Forum Auditorium to share their stories. + info
Researchers from the BBRC Neuroimaging Group have developed an artificial intelligence algorithm that, based on magnetic resonance imaging, facilitates the identification of candidates for Alzheimer’s disease prevention studies. The “La Caixa” Foundation will finance this project in order to carry out a proof of concept based on data collected from the Alfa + cohort. The use of this methodology would reduce unnecessary selective testing, such as lumbar punctures and positron emission tomography, by 67%, and the costs of recruiting people for prevention studies by up to 50%. + info
The BBRC and the Hospital del Mar Institute for Medical Research are behind the PENSA study: a new clinical trial that will investigate whether it is possible to curb cognitive impairment in stages prior to dementia. The project has a duration of 17 months and will have the participation of 200 people between 60 and 80 years old who are experiencing a decrease in memory or other cognitive abilities such as attention, planning ability, orientation. Registration for the study will be open until mid-2020. + info
BBRC researchers determined that people who perceive a impairment in their cognitive abilities perform worse on cognitive tests and have a lower volume in brain areas affected by Alzheimer’s. Although it is normal to perceive a decline in memory and other cognitive abilities with age, there are different factors that affect this subjective perception and that may be associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s. + info
The BBRC initiated participant visits for two AMYPAD studies: the Diagnosis and Patient Management Study, and the Prognosis and Natural History Study. AMYPAD is a European consortium of 9 institutions to investigate the relevance of the PET neuroimaging technique of beta-amyloid to Alzheimer's disease. + info
The BBRC team set a new lower threshold from which beta amyloid protein begins to accumulate pathologically in the brain. Plaque buildup of this protein is one of the most characteristic neurodegenerative lesions of Alzheimer’s, and can begin to occur up to 20 years before the onset of clinical symptoms of the disease. Having them does not necessarily mean that the person ends up developing dementia, but it does increase exponentially their risk of developing symptoms.
The new threshold, or reference value, will detect more candidates for dementia prevention strategies, as it will identify earlier the people most at risk. + info
Under the title “We give voice to Alzheimer's research“, the annual event of the Foundation gave visibility to the essential role of all people who join forces in the fight for a future without Alzheimer's: researchers, therapists, participants, partners and collaborators took to the stage of the Forum Auditorium to share their stories. + info
The BBRC scientific team presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference more than 20 papers on the latest advances in neuroimaging, the role of the APOE-Ɛ2 and APOE-Ɛ4 genes, and the relationship between contamination or insomnia with Alzheimer's disease, among others. The conference was attended by world leaders in Alzheimer’s research and more than 6,400 professionals from around the world. + info
Researchers from the BBRC Neuroimaging Group have developed an artificial intelligence algorithm that, based on magnetic resonance imaging, facilitates the identification of candidates for Alzheimer’s disease prevention studies. The “La Caixa” Foundation will finance this project in order to carry out a proof of concept based on data collected from the Alfa + cohort. The use of this methodology would reduce unnecessary selective testing, such as lumbar punctures and positron emission tomography, by 67%, and the costs of recruiting people for prevention studies by up to 50%. + info
The BBRC participates in this international project that will last 3 years and is funded by funds from magnates such as Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos. The aim of the study is to refine a test and an algorithm to determine pathological concentrations of amyloid beta protein in blood plasma. These values reflect the accumulation of this protein in the brain, which is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease, and it begins to occur many years before the onset of symptoms. + info
The BBRC and the Hospital del Mar Institute for Medical Research are behind the PENSA study: a new clinical trial that will investigate whether it is possible to curb cognitive impairment in stages prior to dementia. The project has a duration of 17 months and will have the participation of 200 people between 60 and 80 years old who are experiencing a decrease in memory or other cognitive abilities such as attention, planning ability, orientation. Registration for the study will be open until mid-2020. + info
SocialThe festival, promoted by the Pasqual Maragall Foundation and co-organized by the Uszheimer Foundation and Minimal Films, brought together up to 2,400 attendees of all ages at the Center for Contemporary Culture in Barcelona with a full program of activities, culminating in the delivery of the IX Solé Tura Prize.
A few weeks before the general election and together with the Spanish Alzheimer’s Confederation (CEAFA), we sent a letter to the list leaders with parliamentary representation. We urged them to place the issue of Alzheimer’s disease at the center of the political agenda and debate, and to approve the National Alzheimer’s Plan agreed upon by the State Dementia Group with the appropriate budget.
The support of members of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation is vital, as, as its director explains until 2020, Dr. Jordi Camí, “we do not receive recurrent structural subsidies from the public sector and, therefore, it is the partners who make research against Alzheimer's possible“.
The Government of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Catalan Foundation for Research and Innovation awarded the Pasqual Maragall Foundation the National Prize for Scientific Patronage 2018 for our intense and continuous promotion of research in Alzheimer's and cognitive problems of aging. A recognition that came to coincide with our 10th anniversary.
More than €13,000 was raised at the concert to benefit the Pasqual Maragall Foundation. An unforgettable evening that was born from the hand of Josep Maria Pérez, a very special collaborator who, on his own initiative, has already raised more than €110,000 for research into Alzheimer’s prevention.
The festival, promoted by the Pasqual Maragall Foundation and co-organized by the Uszheimer Foundation and Minimal Films, brought together up to 2,400 attendees of all ages at the Center for Contemporary Culture in Barcelona with a full program of activities, culminating in the delivery of the IX Solé Tura Prize.
The initiative, the result of a collaboration agreement between the Catalan start-up Worldcoo and the Vienna establishments, was launched in November 2018 to raise funds for research into Alzheimer’s disease. For almost 4 months, 622,000 micro-donations were obtained thanks to the rounding of the amount of all orders paid by card and which represented a collection of more than €238,000.
A few weeks before the general election and together with the Spanish Alzheimer’s Confederation (CEAFA), we sent a letter to the list leaders with parliamentary representation. We urged them to place the issue of Alzheimer’s disease at the center of the political agenda and debate, and to approve the National Alzheimer’s Plan agreed upon by the State Dementia Group with the appropriate budget.
In Bilbao, we launched a new awareness campaign to promote the adoption of healthy habits, a key factor in preventing Alzheimer's. The campaign also went through Madrid, with a circuit of activities to learn about things we can do in our daily lives to reduce the probability of having Alzheimer’s.
The support of members of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation is vital, as, as its director explains until 2020, Dr. Jordi Camí, “we do not receive recurrent structural subsidies from the public sector and, therefore, it is the partners who make research against Alzheimer's possible“.
Organized by the organization Together +, the initiative raised €138,000 for the projects of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation and the Pequeño Deseo Foundation. The collection was the result of the auction of 14 Christmas trees created by the luxury brands Alfons & Damiá, Bruno Cucinelli, Cartier, Chopard, Hermes, La Perla, Lladró, Loewe, Luzio, Natura Bissé, Rabat, Santa Eulalia, ZE Garcia.
The Government of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Catalan Foundation for Research and Innovation awarded the Pasqual Maragall Foundation the National Prize for Scientific Patronage 2018 for our intense and continuous promotion of research in Alzheimer's and cognitive problems of aging. A recognition that came to coincide with our 10th anniversary.
The BBRC’s Alzheimer’s Prevention Program is dedicated to the study of the preclinical and prodromal phase of Alzheimer’s disease. It is led by Dr. José Luis Molinuevo and is structured in two groups that collaborate closely from a clinical, cognitive, genetic and biological and neuroimaging markers perspective.
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Alfa StudyThe goal of the Alfa study is to gather information to identify biomarkers and risk factors to understand the natural history of Alzheimer’s disease and to design prevention strategies.
The Alfa study, launched in 2013 thanks to the support of the “la Caixa” Foundation, is one of the research platforms dedicated to the early detection and prevention of Alzheimer's with a greater number of participants that exist in the world. It is made up of 2,743 cognitively healthy participants, aged between 45 and 75, most of whom are sons and daughters of Alzheimer’s patients.
On the first visit to the Alfa study, participants underwent a series of tests (cognition tests, medical history, lifestyle, and some MRI).
Then, depending on the characteristics and availability of each person, participants are invited to participate in research projects that also include other additional tests, such as positron emission tomography, lumbar puncture, or test. olfaction, among others.
Thanks to these tests, which are carried out on a regular basis, researchers at our research center have already published relevant advances in prestigious scientific journals.
The Alfa Study is supported by:
Budget
10.961.050€
Pasqual Maragall Foundation
6.005.549€
BBRC Research Center
4.955.501€
54,9%Pasqual Maragall Foundation
45,1%BBRC Research Center
| Total revenues | 10.961.050€ |
| Current income | 10.787.272€ |
| Patrons, partners and donors (53%) | 5.712.600€ |
| Social area and dissemination (1%) | 145.9400€ |
| Research project (41%) | 4.456.466€ |
| Clinical trials (5%) | 472.266€ |
| Adjustments for capital subsidies* | 119.646€ |
| Financial income* | 54.131€ |
| *Not included in the graphic |
| Total expenditures | 10.931.420€ |
| Current expenses | 10.861.774€ |
| Research program (66%) | 7.189.771€ |
| Communication and sensitivity (11%) | 1.202.543€ |
| Social area and dissemination (3%) | 295.838€ |
| Investment in network recruitment of partners and donors (17%) | 1.858.915€ |
| Administration (3%) | 314.707€ |
| Financial income* | 69.646€ |
| *Not included in the graphic |
Members
Solidarity
initiatives
Companies in the Sponsorship Board
During 2019, we continued to promote dissemination and awareness to change the social perception of Alzheimer’s. We highlight educational talks, awareness campaigns or training and support for caregivers in various cities through our therapeutic groups.
ActionsThe Pasqual Maragall Foundation is promoting the awareness campaign “When you take care of yourself, Alzheimer's takes a step back“, which visited Bilbao and Madrid. More than 1,300 people approached the set of tents installed in the two cities where they could participate in a circuit of activities with tips to prevent Alzheimer's, focused on the five axes of active aging: socialization , cognitive activity, physical activity, nutrition and cardiovascular health and sleep.
Thanks to research, we now know that 1 in 3 cases of dementia could be prevented by adopting healthy lifestyles.
From 15 to 17 March, the Center for Contemporary Culture of Barcelona (CCCB) hosted the second edition of the Brain Film Fest, of which the Pasqual Maragall Foundation is the driving force and co-organizer. This is an international film festival dedicated to showing and promoting the creation and dissemination of short films about any aspect of the brain, its capabilities or its pathologies.
More than 200 films from around the world took part in the competition for the IX Solé Tura Prize, awarded to the film Carlotta’s Face. The initiative brought together a total of 2,400 people who enjoyed an extensive program of brain-related activities. In addition, the Brain Film Fest premiered this year in Madrid, on March 19, with a series of screenings and presentations at the Telefónica Foundation.
The Pasqual Maragall Foundation and the Spanish Alzheimer’s Confederation (CEAFA) launched the #Alzheimer28A campaign as part of the April 28 general election.
Associations, organizations, researchers and citizens joined the action on social media to ask political parties for a public commitment to the fight against Alzheimer’s.
The Pasqual Maragall Foundation offers quality, rigorous, accurate and up-to-date information on Alzheimer's disease in the blog ”Let's talk about Alzheimer's” with the intention of answering questions about the disease to affected people, families, caregivers and stakeholders in Alzheimer's.
It is because of the quality of its contents that the blog has received this year the Accredited Medical Web certification, granted by the Barcelona Medical Association.
Therapeutic 17
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170
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caregivers
The mission of the therapeutic groups is to provide information and resources to facilitate the understanding and acceptance of the disease by caregivers. Throughout the sessions, they learn tools for living and living with people with Alzheimer’s and reducing the impact that comes from their role as caregivers. We tell you in this video!
The 2nd edition of the online course “Conducting therapeutic groups and advising family carers of people with Alzheimer's disease” was also held, with face-to-face sessions in Málaga, Las Palmas and Tenerife.
Supported by:
During 2019, the social base of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation did not stop growing and closed the year with more than 33,000 members who are essential to advance the project.
In addition, there was the support of companies and collaborators who promoted more than 200 solidarity initiatives to continue research into Alzheimer’s prevention.
Collaborators
Our most sincere thanks to the network of partners and donors and to the entities, companies and professionals who have supported our research through their contributions and collaborations. Our gratitude also to all the volunteers who dedicate their time and help us in the organization of actions and events.
Solidarity 2019 was full of actions, events and solidarity activities promoted by individuals and organizations that raised funds for the Pasqual Maragall Foundation. Thank you for helping us advance in the Alzheimer's research!
Highlights include the organization of 205 solidarity initiatives that raised €491,448, and the donation of €15,750 from the communication agency Atrevia, among others.
Thanks to the collaboration of Movistar, Vodafone, Orange and Euskaltel, through our SMS numbers 28058 (€1.20) and 38058 (€6), in 2019 an income of €4,364 was received.
Other outstanding initiatives were the VIII Somos Uno Solidarity Day at RCDE Stadium, the Señor Gañán Concert at the Teatro Lope de Vega in Ocaña (Toledo), the solidarity café of Il Caffe di Francesco, the solidarity lithographs of Serveis Mèdics Penedès, the initiative “Kms. To remember ”by DOMUS VI, among others.
Thank you very much!
Every year for the singer’s birthday, Pablo López’s fans present him with micro-donations for the benefit of charitable organizations through the migranodearena.org platform. On this occasion, more than 700 donors managed to raise €12,218 for the fight against Alzheimer’s from the Pasqual Maragall Foundation.
The Foundation offers couples the opportunity to give away personalized postcards in exchange for a donation for research into Alzheimer’s prevention. In 2019, €29,030 was raised, thank you!
In March, the athlete Laura Arín ran the Barcelona Marathon with a solidarity cause. Under the motto “I will remember your dreams for you“, she ran 42.195 km in honor of his father, who suffers from Alzheimer's, and all those affected by the disease. Through the migranodearena.org platform, she managed to raise €1,543 for research into Alzheimer’s prevention.
On September 29th, the fifth edition of the Sosciathlon was held in Salou. A day full of sports activities that managed to raise €22,000. The beneficiaries of this solidarity activity were the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, with €11,000 each
The Germans Corbella school in Cardedeu held a Christmas solidarity fair where they raised €2,723 for the Pasqual Maragall Foundation.
The Ermengol IV Institute in Bellcaire d’Urgell organized a solidarity breakfast in favor of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation.
The fifth-graders from the El Garrofer School in Viladecans set up a stall at the Fira de Sant Isidre in their town where they sold products and handicrafts with the aim of raising money for the Pasqual Maragall Foundation.