Hospitals
Training
Courses
Training Plan
Training
Col·labora

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) affects around 2% of the population in Western countries. It usually begins during adolescence and is diagnosed about three times more often in women than in men. The disorder is characterised by persistent instability in emotions, relationships and self-image, and is often linked to self-harming behaviours and a high risk of suicide. Despite its severity, there is currently no medication specifically approved to treat BPD, and its biological basis remains poorly understood.

Now, an international research consortium, with the participation of Hospital Universitari Institut Pere Mata (HUIPM) and the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Catalunya Sud (IRB CatSud), has identified for the first time regions of the genome that are consistently associated with the disorder. Published in Nature Genetics, the study is the largest genetic analysis of BPD carried out to date and the first study of its kind on a personality disorder to produce conclusive results.

The research combined data from 27 clinical studies, biobanks and population cohorts from 14 countries. The project was coordinated by the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim, Germany, within the framework of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium. The Genetics and Environment in Psychiatry (GAP) research group, a joint initiative of HUIPM, IRB CatSud, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) and CIBERSAM, contributed one of the two independent cohorts used to confirm the results obtained in the main analysis. Other CIBERSAM groups also took part, including teams from Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau and Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron.

The study identified a total of 11 regions of the genome and nine genes that may contribute to the development of the disorder. It also estimates that the common genetic variants analysed account for around 17% of susceptibility to BPD. These findings confirm that the disorder has a polygenic architecture, meaning that it results from the combined effect of many genetic variants, each with a small impact, similar to what has been observed in schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder.

The analysis also shows that the genetic risk linked to BPD overlaps considerably with that of other mental health conditions, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Similar links were found with antisocial behaviour and measures related to suicide and self-harm. In addition, the study identified connections with physical health conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), type 2 diabetes, obesity and hypertension. This finding is particularly important because a significant part of the reduced life expectancy observed in people with BPD is related to physical health problems. It also highlights the need for healthcare approaches that consider the individual’s overall health.

According to Elisabet Vilella, head of the Genetics and Environment in Psychiatry (GAP) research group, “these results show that BPD has a biological basis comparable to that of other severe mental disorders. This evidence should help reduce the stigma that still affects people living with the disorder and their families.”

The authors compare these findings to the early genetic studies of schizophrenia conducted around fifteen years ago, which initially identified only a few genomic regions before larger international collaborations and expanded sample sizes led to many more discoveries. They also point out two important limitations. First, all the samples analysed were of European ancestry, highlighting the need to extend research to more diverse populations. Second, the genetic risk scores derived from the study are research tools and cannot be used to predict an individual’s risk or to make clinical diagnoses. The data have been made available to the scientific community to support future studies and, in the long term, contribute to the development of new treatments.

Article reference

Streit, F., Awasthi, S., Hall, A. S. M., et al. Genome-wide association analyses of borderline personality disorder identify 11 loci and highlight shared risk with mental and somatic disorders. Nature Genetics (2026). Published 20 July 2026.

  • The results, published in the journal Resuscitation Plus, show that women have fewer shockable rhythms, lower survival and different causes of death than those observed in men.
  • The research, within the framework of the Registry of Cardiac Arrests and Sudden Death of Catalonia (RAIMCAT), has been developed by the SEM in collaboration with the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences of Catalonia, the Biomedical Research Institute of Catalonia South (IRB CatSud), the Sant Joan University Hospital of Reus, the Rovira i Virgili University, among other institutions.

A study led by the Medical Emergency System of Catalonia (SEM), in collaboration with the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences of the Department of Justice and Democratic Quality, the Biomedical Research Institute of Southern Catalonia (IRB CatSud), the Sant Joan University Hospital in Reus, the Rovira i Virgili University, the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, the IDIAP Jordi Gol and other Catalan institutions, concludes that the survival of women after sudden cardiac death is approximately half that recorded in men.

The research, recently published in the scientific journal Resuscitation Plus , concludes that women not only survive less frequently after sudden cardiac death, but also present a different clinical profile compared to men that can condition prevention, treatment and survival.

The differences affect aspects as diverse as the age at which the episode occurs, the initial heart rhythms, the causes that originate the cardiac arrest and some clinical history that may play a relevant role during the assessment and treatment of patients.

The study, carried out within the framework of the Registry of Cardiac Arrests and Sudden Death of Catalonia ( RAIMCAT ), analysed 639 cases of sudden cardiac death occurring between 2014 and 2017, 191 of which were women, 29.9% of the total. The results show a survival rate of 4.2% in women compared to 9.9% in men. The study also concludes that women presented fewer shockable rhythms —cardiac arrest rhythms in which the application of an electric shock with a defibrillator is indicated— than men (21% compared to 36%) and received fewer resuscitation attempts.

These results indicate that sudden cardiac death is not a homogeneous pathology and that incorporating the gender perspective can contribute to improving both prevention and diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

“Sudden cardiac death does not manifest itself in the same way in women and men. Understanding these differences is essential to adapt preventive strategies, care protocols and increase the chances of survival,” highlights Dr. Youcef Azeli from the Medical Emergency System and principal investigator of the study.

A differentiated clinical profile

The analysis of 639 cases of sudden cardiac death shows a lower incidence in women. However, their probability of survival is significantly lower than that of men, approximately half.

The study highlights that women reach the episode of sudden death with different characteristics. On average, they are older than men when sudden death occurs (74 years compared to 66 years), they have less frequent shockable rhythms – those that offer a greater chance of success with early defibrillation – and they suffer certain causes of death at a higher rate.

Among these causes, pulmonary embolism stands out, which is more than four times more frequent in women than in men (13.3% compared to 3%). There is also a higher burden of psychiatric disorders than in men (15% compared to 9%), a higher history of alcohol consumption (25% compared to 16%), and a higher presence of antidepressants (11% compared to 2%).

Implications for clinical practice

The authors emphasize that pulmonary embolism may be underdiagnosed in women during resuscitation, which limits the use of thrombolytic treatment at the time of arrest. The study also emphasizes the need for closer cardiovascular monitoring using electrocardiograms, especially to monitor the QT interval, in women on psychotropic drug treatment, especially if they also consume alcohol.

About the study

The study has been led by the Medical Emergency System of Catalonia (SEM), with the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences of Catalonia as the main scientific partner, and has had the collaboration of the Biomedical Research Institute of Southern Catalonia (IRB CatSud), the Sant Joan University Hospital of Reus, the Rovira i Virgili University, the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), the IDIAP Jordi Gol and other institutions.

The research is part of the Registry of Cardiac Arrests and Sudden Death of Catalonia (RAIMCAT), which integrates healthcare data from the SEM, hospital clinical information, data from judicial autopsies and the primary care network. This approach allows us to reconstruct the complete process of sudden cardiac death and obtain a unique perspective in Europe and much more globally.

Bibliographic reference

Azeli Y., Barbería E., Solà-Muñoz S., Landín I., Fernández A., Rey-Reñones C., García-Gual C., Gomez-Tortosa A., Granado-Font E., Fernández-Sender L., García-Vilana S., Bonet G., Jiménez-Fàbrega X., Bardají A.

A study led by the URV concludes that a diet rich in fibre and whole grains reduces the risk of death, especially from cancer, in people with high cardiovascular risk

For years, much of the debate surrounding carbohydrates has focused on the amount consumed. However, there is growing evidence that the quality of the foods providing them may be decisive for health. An international study by the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Catalunya Sud (IRB CatSud) and CIBEROBN concludes that people who consume higher-quality carbohydrates have a lower risk of mortality, especially from cancer. The research, published in the journal Food & Function, highlights the importance of prioritising fibre-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains over products made with refined flours or sugary drinks.

The research team worked with data from 7,210 participants in the PREDIMED project, one of the most important clinical trials on the Mediterranean diet and cardiovascular health. All participants, men aged between 55 and 80 years and women aged between 60 and 80 years, were at high cardiovascular risk and were followed for an average period of six years. During this time, 425 deaths were recorded, of which 169 were due to cancer and 103 to cardiovascular disease.

Beyond the quantity of carbohydrates

To assess the quality of carbohydrates in the diet, the research team used the Carbohydrate Quality Index (CQI), which combines four characteristics of carbohydrate-rich foods: fibre content, the proportion of whole grains relative to refined grains, glycaemic index, that is, how quickly a food raises blood glucose levels, and the proportion of carbohydrates coming from solid foods compared with sugary drinks. The aim was to evaluate the overall quality of the diet rather than simply count the grams of carbohydrates consumed.

The results reveal that participants who followed a poorer-quality diet in terms of the carbohydrates they consumed had a 28% higher risk of dying from any cause and a 48% higher risk of dying from cancer than those whose carbohydrate intake was of higher quality. “Traditionally, a great deal of attention has been paid to the quantity of carbohydrates in the diet, but our results indicate that their quality may be even more relevant for preserving health and increasing life expectancy,” highlights Jordi Salas-Salvadó, Distinguished Professor of Nutrition at the URV, ICREA researcher and co-author of the study.

Fibre and whole grains account for the benefits

The analysis also made it possible to identify which components of high-quality carbohydrates carry the greatest weight in this association. The benefits are mainly explained by a higher intake of fibre and whole grains. In fact, people with the lowest fibre intake had a 51% higher risk of dying from any cause and a 72% higher risk of dying from cancer. An increased risk was also observed among participants who consumed fewer whole grains, whereas the glycaemic index, analysed in isolation, showed no significant relationship with mortality.

According to the researchers, these benefits could be explained by the fact that fibre-rich plant foods also provide vitamins, minerals and other bioactive compounds that contribute to improving metabolic health and reducing the risk of chronic diseases. Therefore, they conclude that a simple strategy to improve health is to prioritise fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains, while reducing the consumption of sugary drinks and products made with refined flours.

Reference: Vázquez-Lorente H, Nishi SK, Shyam S, Martínez-González MA, Corella D, Estruch R, Ros E, Gómez-Gracia E, Fiol M, Lapetra J, Serra-Majem L, Esteve-Luque V, Babio N, Fitó M, Toledo E, Sorlí JV, Zazpe I, Salas-Salvadó J. Carbohydrate quality index and mortality risk in older adults at high cardiovascular risk. Food & Function. 2026;17:4404-4414.

Cognitive decline is one of the main challenges associated with aging. Although it is part of the natural process of growing older, factors such as obesity, metabolic syndrome or cardiovascular diseases can accelerate the loss of functions such as memory, attention or the ability to plan and make decisions. There is growing evidence that diet can help preserve brain health. A new study led by researchers from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Catalunya Sud (IRB CatSud) and the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN) has observed that a higher intake of choline and betaine is associated with a more favourable evolution of some cognitive functions in older adults with overweight or obesity and metabolic syndrome.

The study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, was carried out using data from 6,610 participants in the PREDIMED-Plus project, one of the largest clinical trials in Europe on diet and lifestyle. The research team assessed the dietary habits and cognitive function of men and women aged between 55 and 75 over a two-year period.

The research focused on two nutrients naturally present in various foods: choline and betaine. Choline is an essential nutrient involved in the formation of cell membranes and in the production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is fundamental for processes such as memory and learning. It is found mainly in eggs, fish, lean meats and dairy products. Betaine, which is derived from choline, takes part in different metabolic and cell-protection processes and is especially abundant in whole grains, spinach, beetroot and some types of seafood.

Better evolution of attention, language and executive function

The results show that individuals with a higher intake of choline experienced a more favourable evolution of attention and language throughout the two years of follow-up. In parallel, a higher intake of betaine was associated with a better evolution of executive function, the set of abilities that allows planning, problem-solving and decision-making, as well as language. The associations were especially evident among participants with the highest intakes of these nutrients.

“Our results suggest that nutrients present in commonly consumed foods may help preserve certain cognitive functions during aging,” explain Héctor Vázquez-Lorente and José María Manzanares-Errazu, first authors of the study and researchers at the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology of the URV.

For Jordi Salas-Salvadó, principal investigator of the PREDIMED-Plus project and Professor of Nutrition at the URV, this work reinforces the importance of diet beyond cardiovascular health: “There is increasing evidence that diet also influences brain health. Our results indicate that nutrients such as choline and betaine could contribute to maintaining certain cognitive functions during aging.”

The researchers believe that promoting dietary patterns rich in foods that provide choline and betaine could form part of future nutritional strategies aimed at preserving cognitive health during aging. However, they stress that studies with a longer follow-up period will be needed to confirm these benefits and determine to what extent they may help prevent cognitive decline and dementia in the long term. The study was led by Héctor Vázquez-Lorente and José María Manzanares-Errazu as first authors, and by Lidia Daimiel and Jordi Salas-Salvadó as senior authors. Researchers from numerous Spanish institutions within the CIBER-PREDIMED-Plus consortium also took part.

Reference

Vázquez-Lorente H, Manzanares-Errazu JM, Babio N, Ruiz-Canela M, Corella D, Hernando J, et al. Dietary Choline and Betaine Intake and 2-year Changes in Cognitive Function in Older Adults With Overweight or Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome: A Prospective Cohort Analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2026 May;123(5):101265. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2026.101265. Epub 2026 Mar 11. PMID: 41825530; PMCID: PMC13197923.

Genetic variants that favour higher fertility may have been maintained throughout human evolution even though they also increase the risk of disease and are linked to a shorter life expectancy. This is the main conclusion of a study that helps explain why natural selection has not eliminated many genetic variants linked to common diseases.

 

The work, led by the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE, CSIC-Pompeu Fabra University) with the participation of Hospital Universitari Institut Pere Mata, the Southern Catalonia Biomedical Research Institute (IRB CatSud) and the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center (BBRC), has been published in the scientific journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. The research analysed large-scale genomic data to study the relationship between fertility, longevity and genetic predisposition to 62 diseases.

 

The results indicate that natural selection tends to maximise fertility during reproductive age. For this reason, it can favour genetic variants that increase reproductive success, even if these same variants carry a higher risk of developing diseases or reduced longevity in later stages of life.

“The results help us understand why natural selection has not eliminated many variants associated with common diseases that have a major impact on health”, explains Dr Arcadi Navarro, director of the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center, group leader of the Genomics Research Group and principal investigator at the IBE (CSIC-UPF). “Some of these variants may have been favoured because they increased our ancestors’ reproductive success, even if this entailed a cost to health or lower life expectancy later on”, also adds the professor and ICREA researcher at the UPF, and corresponding co-author of the study.

Researchers have observed that genetic variants simultaneously associated with higher fertility and a higher risk of disease show clear signs of having been favoured by natural selection. This pattern is observed both in recent periods and on evolutionary scales spanning the last 50,000 years.

 

The data therefore suggest that, from an evolutionary point of view, the reproductive advantages associated with some genetic variants may have offset their detrimental effects on future health. On average, alleles—the different variants of a gene—linked to a higher risk of disease are also associated with greater fertility and reduced longevity.

Analysis at the individual level shows that, among people with a higher genetic risk of developing diseases, there are differences depending on whether the disease appears in childhood (such as autism) or in adulthood (such as glaucoma).

During the childbearing years, those with a high genetic risk who do not go on to develop the disease tend to have more children. In contrast, when the disease appears in adulthood, the opposite is true: the people who end up developing the disease are also the ones who have had the most children. “This is because falling ill at a young age, during the childbearing years, carries a high reproductive cost; in contrast, when the disease appears in adulthood, this cost is lower, because by that time most people have already had children,” explains Eva Brigos Barril, a predoctoral researcher at the IBE (CSIC-UPF) and the study’s first author.

This does not mean that late-onset diseases increase fertility, but rather that some of the genetic variants that increase the risk could also have aided reproductive success during youth.

A new evolutionary perspective on human health

The research falls within the life-history theory, which studies how organisms distribute limited resources between functions such as growth, reproduction and maintenance of the organism.

 

“One of the major questions in genetics is why variants that increase the risk of developing a disease continue to exist. Our work provides evidence that, in some cases, these variants also confer reproductive advantages”, highlights Dr Gerard Muntané, a researcher at the Pere Mata Institute (IRBCatSud) and a collaborating researcher and professor at Pompeu Fabra University.

 

In this context, the antagonistic pleiotropy theory suggests that the same genetic variant can have beneficial effects at one stage of life and detrimental effects at another. For example, a variant can aid reproduction during youth and, at the same time, increase the risk of developing a disease during old age.

 

The new study provides the largest genomic analysis to test this hypothesis in humans to date. The results reinforce the idea that natural selection prioritizes effects that occur before or during the reproductive age but has a lesser capacity to eliminate variants that cause harmful consequences at later stages.

 

This perspective helps answer one of the big questions in human evolutionary genetics: why genetic variants that increase the risk of suffering from common diseases and have a significant cost to health continue to exist on such a massive scale.

 

According to the results, the answer lies, at least in part, in the fact that some of these variants also provided reproductive advantages. Therefore, their persistence would not be an evolutionary anomaly, but the result of a balance between the benefits during the reproductive age and the costs that appear later.

Reference article: Brigos-Barril E, Vasallo C, Farré X, et al. Genetic trade-offs in fertility and longevity explain the maintenance of disease-associated alleles in humans. Nature Ecology & Evolution (2026).DOI: 10.1038/s41559-026-03140-z.

The Southern Catalonia Biomedical Research Institute – IRB CatSud
was present in Japan at a conference focused on the understanding and treatment of liver diseases. Jordi Gracia-Sancho, head of the Hepatology Research Group at IRB CatSud, took part as an invited speaker at the 62nd Congress of the Japan Society of Hepatology, held in Niigata, Japan, on 18 and 19 June.

During the congress, Gracia-Sancho gave a lecture on the pathophysiological mechanisms of portal hypertension and the therapeutic basis of emerging treatment strategies for this condition, which is one of the main complications of chronic liver diseases. His presentation allowed him to share the latest advances in this field and led to an enriching scientific discussion with leading international researchers and clinicians.

According to the researcher, this activity “strengthens the international visibility of IRB CatSud and reinforces its presence in Japan, a country with a long tradition of excellence in biomedical research and with which the institute maintains increasingly strong scientific links”.

On August 12, one of the most remarkable astronomical events of recent years will take place. The darkness created by the eclipse may give a false sense of safety, yet solar radiation continues to reach the eye during the partial phases. Throughout the eclipse, therefore, looking directly at the sun without protection can cause retinal damage and, because the retina has no pain receptors, the injury may occur without causing any immediate discomfort. In fact, symptoms may appear hours later, manifesting as blurred vision or a dark spot in the center of the visual field. Given these risks, prevention is crucial. Pere Romero, head of the RETIPROGRAM Ophthalmology Group at IRB CatSud and chief of the Ophthalmology Department at Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, highlights the following recommendations to avoid endangering our eyesight:

  1. Use only certified eclipse glasses They must indicate ISO 12312‑2 compliance, CE marking, the manufacturer, and instructions for use.
  2. Inspect the filters before wearing them Do not use them if they are scratched, punctured, torn, or deteriorated.
  3. Avoid improvised solutions Sunglasses, X‑ray films, smoked glass, or other homemade filters do not protect the retina.
  4. Do not combine eclipse glasses with optical instruments Binoculars, telescopes, and cameras require specific solar filters installed correctly. Eclipse glasses alone are not sufficient.
  5. Keep the glasses on during all partial phases They may only be removed during totality, within the path of totality, and only when the sun is completely obscured. At the first point of returning light, they must be put back on. When in doubt, it is safer to always keep them on.

CHILDREN: CONSTANT SUPERVISION

It is essential to ensure that they always look through the filter and do not attempt to observe the sun above or around the edges of the glasses. They should also not walk around while wearing them.

When should you consult a specialist?

After the eclipse, if blurred vision, image distortion, or a fixed spot in the center of the visual field appears, an ophthalmological assessment is required. It should be noted that symptoms may emerge between two and six hours after exposure. In any case, to prevent injury, it is essential to keep the recommended precautions in mind in order to enjoy this phenomenon safely. In this regard, IRB CatSud will distribute certified eclipse glasses among its staff so that everyone can experience the event safely. Details on how these glasses will be provided will be communicated internally.

 

 

 

Studying the effects of a physical exercise programme on people with schizophrenia or autism spectrum disorder has been the main objective of the VITACTIVA’T project, promoted by the Institut Pere Mata University Hospital (HUIPM) and the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Catalunya Sud (IRB CatSud), in collaboration with Rovira i Virgili University (URV). The project results were presented this Thursday.

The findings were shared during an event held at Reus Deportiu, the venue where the VITACTIVA’T sports sessions took place. The event brought together more than twenty participants, family members and mental health professionals.

Regarding the study results, the research team explained that regular physical exercise can help improve several health indicators in this population. Some of the main findings include:

A significant improvement in cognitive performance, with positive progress in areas such as attention, memory, learning, reasoning and processing speed.
A significant improvement in physical fitness, particularly in aerobic capacity and muscle strength in both the upper and lower limbs.
An increase in the number of mitochondrial DNA copies, a biomarker linked to the cells’ ability to produce energy.
A significant improvement in psychosocial functioning, meaning a greater ability to manage everyday activities and social interactions.

The research team also found that participants consume a high proportion of ultra-processed foods. “This habit is associated with poorer metabolic health indicators and less favourable psychosocial factors, which reinforces the need to work on reducing its consumption in this population,” explains Bernat Ballvé, nutritionist and researcher in the project.

Overall, these results confirm the role of physical exercise, together with nutrition and other lifestyle factors, as a complementary tool with the potential to improve the physical and mental health of people with severe mental disorders. This has encouraged the team to continue this line of research through the launch of VITACTIVA’T 2.

A new phase focused on physical exercise

During the event, the team also presented the new edition of the project, VITACTIVA’T 2, which will begin a new exercise programme next October. This new phase will focus exclusively on physical activity and will be aimed at people with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders.

Alba Valiente, psychiatrist and researcher involved in the project, explained that “the physical exercise programme will now last six months and will include three sessions per week, increasing both the duration of the intervention and the frequency of the sessions to meet the recommendations of the World Health Organization.”

Regarding the expected outcomes, Lourdes Martorell, principal investigator of the project, said: “The researchers involved believe that this more intensive exercise programme will provide new evidence of its role as a complementary therapy to standard treatment for people with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders. The study will examine cognition, quality of life and several biomarkers. The project will also seek to identify specific genetic, clinical and metabolic factors that can help provide personalised recommendations.”

The event marked the end of the first edition of the project in a positive atmosphere of reunion and enthusiasm. The research team expressed their gratitude for the trust and commitment shown by all participants, as well as by their families and the professionals who helped make this initiative possible.

The team also expressed optimism about VITACTIVA’T 2 and highlighted their commitment to continuing to generate scientific evidence that supports physical exercise as a complementary strategy to improve the health, well-being and quality of life of people living with severe mental disorders.

 

Acting without sufficiently considering the consequences, making hasty decisions or being carried away by emotions of the moment are some of the behaviours associated with impulsivity. In the past, several studies have linked this psychological trait to unhealthy habits, such as tobacco consumption, harmful substances and unhealthy foods, among others. It has also been associated with mental health problems and poorer overall health status. However, there was no clear scientific evidence in older populations without any diagnosed psychiatric disorder.

Now, a research team from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Catalunya Sud (IRBCatSud) and the Biomedical Research Networking Centre for the Pathophysiology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN) has demonstrated that following a low-calorie Mediterranean diet, engaging in physical activity and receiving behavioural support reduce impulsivity. The results have been published in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, one of the scientific publications with the greatest international impact in the fields of psychology and psychiatry.

The team analysed data from 306 participants in the PREDIMED-Plus-Cognition study, which evaluates cognitive status and other factors related to the mental health of participants in the PREDIMED clinical trial. Volunteers were randomly assigned to two groups: one followed an intensive programme aimed at increasing adherence to a slightly calorie-restricted Mediterranean diet, increasing physical activity and reinforcing these changes through behavioural support; the other received only general recommendations to follow a Mediterranean diet. Impulsivity was assessed at the beginning of the study and during the three years of follow-up through personality questionnaires and cognitive tests.

Significant behavioural changes

After three years, participants who had followed the intensive lifestyle programme showed a significant reduction, between small and moderate, in impulsivity levels compared with the control group. More specifically, they improved impulsive personality traits, reducing tendencies such as acting without thinking about the consequences. Even more relevant was the change in their behaviour, as they improved their ability to make sound decisions, learning to prioritise long-term benefits over immediate rewards.

“This is the first time it has been shown that a multimodal intervention can regulate impulsivity in older adults, potentially helping to prevent the development of future chronic diseases,” states Carlos Gómez Martínez, postdoctoral researcher at Helse Vest and the University of Bergen (Norway). For Jordi Salas-Salvadó, Professor of Nutrition at the URV and co-leader of the study together with Gómez Martínez, adopting healthy habits not only improves physical health, but also promotes more reflective decision-making: “It could facilitate the maintenance of other healthy behaviours in the long term, contribute to preserving psychological well-being and foster a greater capacity for self-regulation.”

The study was carried out by researchers from the Human Nutrition Unit of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Catalunya Sud (IRBCatSud) and the Biomedical Research Networking Centre for the Pathophysiology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN). The research is part of the PREDIMED-Plus study, developed by several groups within the CIBER of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, and has received funding from the European projects Eat2BeNice and PRIME, as well as from various competitive projects of the ISCIII.

Reference: Gómez-Martínez C, Shyam S, Camacho-Barcia L, Margara-Escudero HJ, Babio N, Forcano L, Corella D, Cuenca-Royo A, de la Torre R, Jimenez-Murcia S, Pintó X, Fitó M, Fernández-Carrión R, Matura S, Franke B, Haavik J, Fernández-Aranda F, Salas-Salvadó J. Three-year effects of a multidomain lifestyle intervention on impulsivity: Results from a randomized clinical trial. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. 2026. doi: 10.1159/000550126.

 

 

Roger Martínez, a second-year Advertising Graphics student at the Tarragona Provincial Council School of Art and Design, is the winner of the ‘Olympus Scholarship’ 2026. The scholarship is based on the charity dinner that the Hotel Olympus Palace 4* in Salou organises every year and which this year is in support of the IRB CatSud for cardiology research.

 

Among the projects presented by the students within the Professional Project Management module, Roger Martínez’s poster was selected unanimously in first place by the jury. The 21-year-old student from Valls therefore receives a scholarship with a financial award of 500 euros and a full weekend stay for two people at the Hotel Olympus Palace 4*. Roger’s proposal is focused on “this poster represents a collage of the territory, where there are elements linked to the world of cardiology, healthy food and everything that helps to have a strong heart. All of this has helped me become aware of how important it is to have good health,” explained the winner.

 

Cardiology Research at IRB CatSud

IRB CatSud has more than 40 research groups. One of them is the Tarragona Translational and Clinical Cardiology Research Group, which carries out its activity at the Joan XXIII University Hospital in Tarragona and is the recipient of the funds raised in this year’s edition of the Hotel Olympus Palace charity dinner. Its mission is to investigate and innovate in the field of cardiovascular diseases in order to develop strategies that allow more personalised treatments and improve patients’ prognosis.

 

More specifically, this group studies how to identify and use molecules or genes that help detect and better understand heart diseases. It also works on evaluating patient characteristics that may contribute to increasing the severity of different cardiovascular diseases (myocardial infarction, heart failure, sudden death, etc.), with the aim of improving prognosis. In addition, it analyses why some people respond differently to certain medicines and how to improve treatment strategies so that they are more effective and safer. It also investigates minimally invasive techniques to treat coronary and valvular diseases, correct arrhythmias and optimise the functioning of pacemakers and defibrillators, among other lines of work.

 

Award Ceremony at the SUMMIT Rooftop

The panoramic terrace of the Hotel Olympus Palace 4* hosted the formal ceremony for the presentation of the ‘Olympus Scholarship’. The members of the jury, the Hotel Olympus Palace 4* team and the students, accompanied by friends and relatives, gathered to learn the final decision. In addition to the winner, it was also announced that the posters presented by Alba Pocurull and Andrea Hernández were finalists jointly. Both receive a one-night stay for two people at the Hotel Olympus Palace 4*. The hotel also rewarded the effort of the other students by giving them a day at SUMMIT for two people including a meal during this summer.

 

The representative of the ownership of Hotel Olympus, Gil Cristià, highlighted during his speech “our gratitude to the participating students for their work and dedication. I would also like to thank the management and teaching staff of the Tarragona Provincial Council School of Art and Design for their involvement and the dedication of the jury.”

 

The Tarragona Provincial Council School of Art and Design emphasised that “this project has been a real adventure, a process full of emotions. A challenge that we faced from the very beginning with shared enthusiasm. We felt very welcome and supported, and we want to thank you,” underlined Laura Casas, Itziar Solla, Silvia Iturria, Núria Anguren i Judith Guinovart, teachers from the Escola d’Art i Disseny of Diputació de Tarragona, of Pau Brull and Esther Fernández, on behalf of Rotary Club Tarragona, of Joan Vendrell, director from l’Institut de Recerca Biomèdica CatSud and of Maira Isaura Rojas, Beca Olympus 2024 winner.

The 2026 Charity Dinner will be held at Hotel Olympus Palace 4* on Thursday, 1 October at 7:00 p.m. All funds raised will be entirely allocated to research into the prevention of cardiovascular diseases conducted by the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica CatSud and Joan XXIII Hospital in Tarragona.