An innovative study at our research centre found that the accumulation of beta-amyloid may, singlehandedly, cause brain damage in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, even when tau protein levels are not high. This finding, published in the Alzheimer’s & Dementia journal, opens the door to preventative approaches and earlier treatments that may slow the progression of the disease.

We awarded a Pasqual Maragall Researchers Programme research grant to a project led by Dr Alberto Rábano, Head of the BT-CIEN Tissue Bank and the Reina Sofía Foundation, which hopes to create the largest database of neuropathological dementia cases in Spain and Portugal. The initiative will bring together genomic data and advanced neuropathological classification systems to improve early diagnostics and risk assessments of neurodegenerative diseases.

A joint study between the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center (BBRC) and the Women’s Brain Foundation found significant differences in willingness to participate in clinical trials on the prevention of Alzheimer's between men and women. Published in the scientific journal Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy, the study underscores the importance of adapting recruitment strategies in line with gender-based differences – not only those stemming from biological factors, but also those differences influenced by sociocultural factors.

We held the eighth edition of the Brain Film Fest, with overcoming fears as the main theme. The festival, held at the Centre for Contemporary Culture Barcelona (CCCB), recognises the career of Nicolas Philibert with the Brain Film Fest 2025 Special Award for his trilogy on mental health, filmed in Parisian psychiatric facilities.

We strengthen the field of research with the addition of Dr Salvador Macip—physician, scientist and writer–to the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center team to lead a new research group that will study the biological mechanisms of ageing and their relationship to neurodegeneration.

Our results, published in Nature Medicine, confirm that a simple blood test—based on the detection of the p-tau217 biomarker—allows for the detection of Alzheimer's with over 90% accuracy, comparable to that of a lumbar puncture. Led by investigators at our research centre, this study marks an enormous step towards more accessible, less invasive diagnostic methods.

The study, published through the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Observatory—driven by the Foundation, in collaboration with Novo Nordisk—concludes that Alzheimer’s is becoming one of the main health concerns among Spaniards.

We welcomed Dr Sandra Acosta to the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center to lead the new Brain Disorders Models Research Group, focusing on the study of molecular mechanisms that drive neurodegeneration with the aid of advanced cellular models, such as brain organoids. With this new line of research, the centre reinforces its commitment to translational research and to bringing scientific advances from the laboratory into clinical practice.

With the aim of providing support to caregivers, we created a new guide in collaboration with the Barcelona Provincial Council that offers a clear explanation of the main psychological and behavioural manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as practical strategies to effectively manage these symptoms in day-to-day life.

We helped drive scientific research by awarding the Pasqual Maragall Researchers Programme grant to a project led by Dr Silvia de Santis, Head of the Translational Imaging Biomarkers Group at the Institute of Neurosciences. The research focuses on understanding immunological brain mechanisms to aid early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and to identify new therapeutic targets to combat the disease.

In partnership with ISGlobal, we took part in a study that showed that increased physical activity in people aged 45 to 65 is associated with less accumulation of beta-amyloid, and a thicker cortex in key brain regions associated with memory. The results, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia, even show that lower exercise levels than those recommended still provide some benefit.

We attended a meeting with President Josep Rull and various other Board members at the Government of Catalonia to discuss current needs in the fight against Alzheimer’s, putting particular emphasis on the importance of institutional support to help advance knowledge of the disease and its prevention.

This year we reached the 100,000 member milestone, consolidating ourselves as having some of the most active public support in Spain in the field of research into Alzheimer’s disease. As a show of thanks, we created a time capsule containing 100,000 unforgettable personal stories and memories. The capsule will be opened again in 2038, which coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Foundation, to recover everything that the participants shared.

Our new Fully Active programme opens a new support line for people with early-stage Alzheimer's who are aware of their diagnosis and who wish to be actively involved. The programme is part of the PLENA study, which seeks to scientifically validate the benefits of this psychosocial intervention on the well-being of the affected people.

The 2nd Conference on Biological Therapies for Alzheimer's by HUB Alzheimer Barcelona, supported by the Foundation, brought together more than 200 attendees, reinforcing the HUB’s role as a key coordination platform for transitioning to a fairer, more efficient and person-centred Alzheimer’s care model.

We published new evidence that poor-quality, fragmented sleep is associated with structural changes in the brain in regions susceptible to Alzheimer's, even in people with no cognitive decline. The study, conducted by the ALFA Sleep team at the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center, showed that these effects are independent of classic biomarkers of the disease and that they manifest more strongly in women.

We presented new results from the PENSA study, developed at our research centre and in partnership with the Hospital del Mar Research Institute, which showed that an intervention based on healthy lifestyle habits combined with a green tea compound improved cognition in people at high risk for Alzheimer's. Participants who completed the full intervention programme improved their cognition up to 4.5 times more, and their risk of developing dementia was reduced by approximately 25%.

In collaboration with the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, we took part in a study that showed that situations such as the death of a partner or financial stress are associated with brain changes related to Alzheimer’s. The study, involving 1,200 people from the ALFA cohort at the BBRC with no cognitive decline, showed differences in brain impact based on gender and level of education.

To mark World Alzheimer's Day, we published the study Cuidar mejor [Caring better], created with the support of IMSERSO, to raise awareness of the vital, complex tasks that caregivers of family members with Alzheimer's face, underscoring the importance of research as the only way to find a cure for the disease.

We helped advance early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s with the ALFA10 project—promoted by the BBRC—a pioneering project that seeks to anticipate Alzheimer’s using a predictive algorithm to identify high-risk individuals before their first symptoms appear. This initiative opens the door to new, personalised treatments and a wider selection of participants for clinical trials.

We launched the first call for the Carles Colomer Prize for Research in Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), an initiative that was created from the wishes of entrepreneur Carles Colomer to support the scientific community after he was diagnosed with the disease. The Prize awards up to 600,000 Euros per project to advance knowledge and improve clinical management of this rare disease.

Within the framework of the eighth Annual Meeting with our social base, under the slogan of ‘100,000 reasons to keep moving towards a future without Alzheimer’s’ and more than 1,500 attendees, the fourth edition of the Diana Garrigosa Awards honoured Josep Carreras and Matilde Fernández for their careers and social commitment as role models of active seniority and solidarity.

We offered support to more than 300 people through our online and in-person support programmes for caregivers of relatives with Alzheimer's.

In 2025, we organised several educational conferences across the region to raise awareness of Alzheimer's disease and its prevention, and also to address any questions regarding this form of dementia and its broader context. This year, we gave a total of 47 talks across the country.

We signed a framework agreement with the Association of Relatives of People with Alzheimer’s and other dementias of Galicia (AFAGA) to develop joint actions in research, awareness campaigns and providing support to people with dementia and to their family, reaffirming our shared commitment to providing more people-centred, coordinated, integral care.