The Institut Pere Mata University Hospital and IRB CatSud are organizing, on December 3 , the 1st Research and Innovation Conference for Residents , a meeting aimed at residents ( MIR, IIR, PIR, FIR, BIR, RFIR and QIR ) from the different teaching units in the province of Tarragona. The objective of the conference is to create a common space to share research projects, foster collaborations and promote interest in research and innovation among professionals in training.
Research is a fundamental pillar for the progress of knowledge and for the continuous improvement of healthcare practice. For this reason, this conference aims to become a space for the exchange of experiences, ideas and initiatives that allows to give visibility to the research activity developed by residents, as well as to favor the creation of synergies between specialties, centers and disciplines.
Collaboration, scientific curiosity and innovation are essential elements to face the present and future challenges of our health system and this is what will be evident at the conference. With this initiative, the organization wants to promote a more connected, active and committed research community.
This event aims to consolidate itself as a regular meeting point between residents and the organizing team’s desire is for it to become a reference space in the territory, capable of showcasing the talent, effort and commitment of professionals in training.
This first edition is conceived as the beginning of a collective project with a vocation for continuity, with the aim of contributing to strengthening the research community of the territory.
At this link you can view the program and register, either to attend the event or to present a paper.
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.
A study led by the IRB CatSud and the HUIPM reviews 122 papers on compounds such as vitamin D3 and magnesium across a range of psychiatric disorders
Psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been linked in recent years to mitochondrial dysfunction—a loss of cellular capacity to produce the energy required for proper functioning. Now, a team from the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Catalunya Sud (IRB CatSud) and the Hospital Universitari Institut Pere Mata (HUIPM) has led a systematic review on the use of nutraceutical supplements (such as vitamin D3, coenzyme Q10, magnesium, and various B vitamins), which are essential for mitochondrial function, as an adjunctive treatment for these psychiatric conditions.
Considering that the brain consumes approximately 20% of the body’s energy, largely produced within the mitochondria, the research team evaluated whether supplementation targeting this biological pathway could yield clinical benefits. To this end, the researchers reviewed articles published between January 2007 and April 2024. From an initial pool of 2,061 identified records, 122 studies meeting the inclusion criteria were ultimately evaluated.
Among the supplements analyzed, vitamin D3 emerged as the most widely researched across these pathologies. While trials on depression prevention failed to demonstrate an overall effect, individual studies noted improvements in specific subgroups, such as individuals with moderate-to-severe depression or those in the perinatal period. N-acetylcysteine showed more consistent findings across several schizophrenia studies, particularly regarding global symptoms and cognitive functions. The research team emphasizes that: “The findings of this review indicate that certain nutraceuticals could hold a promising role as an adjunctive therapy in psychiatry. However, more robust clinical trials with standardized protocols and validated efficacy biomarkers are required before translating this evidence into clinical practice,” explains Juan Tortajada, lead author of the study and member of the Genetics and Environment in Psychiatry (GAP) group at HUIPM-IRB CatSud-URV.
The authors also highlight the necessity of integrating socioeconomic factors, such as educational attainment and income levels, into future research. These variables can influence access to, adherence with, and continuity of nutraceutical regimens, making them key considerations for designing inclusive strategies in psychiatric care.
The study, led by Lourdes Martorell with Juan Tortajada and Bengisu Kevser Bulduk as co-first authors, has been published in the journal General Psychiatry. The research was conducted within the framework of an interCIBER collaboration, involving the Biomedical Research Networking Center in Mental Health (CIBERSAM) and the Biomedical Research Networking Center on Rare Diseases (CIBERER). This joint effort enabled the integration of expertise in mental health with specialized knowledge in mitochondrial pathology. Glòria Garrabou (IDIBAPS, UB, HCB, CIBERER), a co-author who contributed a translational perspective, notes that “this work could ultimately contribute to the development of novel therapeutic approaches for mental disorders that combine conventional pharmacology with nutritional supplementation
Bibliographical reference: Tortajada, J., Bulduk, B. K., Alfonso-Landete, B., Alcaide-Barriga, P., Ballvé-Gelonch, B., Garrabou, G., Vilella, E., Alonso, Y., Valiente-Pallejà, A., & Martorell, L. (2026). Clinical outcomes of mitochondrial-enhancing nutraceutical supplementation in psychiatric disorders: A systematic review. General psychiatry, 39(3), e70023. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps3.70023
The study was funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III and the Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR) of the Generalitat de Catalunya.
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.
An international study finds epigenetic signals — chemical modifications that regulate gene activity without altering DNA, often influenced by environmental factors such as pollution or stress — associated with bipolar disorder, a mental illness characterised by extreme mood changes, alternating depression and euphoria, which could help to develop more accurate clinical prediction tools.
The study, published in the scientific journal EBioMedicine under the title DNA methylation signatures associated with bipolar disorder in peripheral blood improve prediction models, represents the largest meta-analysis on epigenetics in bipolar disorder carried out so far at an international level. The participation of researchers linked to the Hospital Universitari Institut Pere Mata (HUIPM) and the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Catalunya Sud (IRB CatSud, formerly IISPV) has been especially relevant, as they have provided their own sample of participants, one of the 12 that have contributed to the study. The research has also included the participation of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) and the team from the Consorci Sanitari del Maresme — both integrated into the national network Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM) — and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB).
The research analysed a sample of 3,476 people in total — of whom 1,729 had the disorder and 1,747 were healthy — aged between 16 and 53 years, with 56% women, coming from 12 international samples from different countries. The objective was to identify epigenetic changes associated with bipolar disorder.
Among the most important results, the research team identified 47 regions with epigenetic modification associated with the diagnosis of bipolar disorder and, among these, several are genetic regions involved in processes related to neurotransmission, immune response and cell regulation. In addition, the study also shows that polymethylation scores, which are epigenetic indicators that integrate multiple chemical marks in DNA that can activate or deactivate genes, combined with current genetic models, can improve the predictive ability for bipolar disorder, especially in bipolar disorder type I.
“These results reinforce the idea that epigenetic factors, which are more influenced by environmental factors, can provide additional information to genetics (which is more stable) and contribute, in the future, to the development of useful biological indicators for diagnosis, as well as for clinical decision-making in mental health,” says Elisabet Vilella, one of the researchers involved in the study.
The study has also involved research centres and universities from Europe, North America and Australia, within a large international collaboration under the framework of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium Bipolar Disorder Working Group.
The publication represents a new recognition of research driven from the region in the field of psychiatry and mental health, and consolidates the position of the participating centres as references in translational research and biomedical innovation.
Bibliographic reference
Tesfaye, M., Stavrum, A. K., Höffler, K. D., O’Connell, K. S., David, F. S., Garrett, M. E., Hesam-Shariati, S., Overs, B. J., Pisanu, C., Spano, L., Watkeys, O. J., Weihs, A., Ardau, R., Ashley-Koch, A. E., Athanasiu, L., Beckham, J. C., Bourassa, K. J., Chillotti, C., Djurovic, S., Drange, O. K., … Le Hellard, S. (2026). DNA methylation signatures associated with bipolar disorder in peripheral blood improve prediction models. EBioMedicine, 128, 106284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2026.106284