Science has long been able to diagnose Alzheimer’s and even predict its onset at very early stages. However, until now this was only possible by means of invasive techniques, such as lumbar punctures to examine the cerebrospinal fluid or expensive tests such as positron emission tomography (PET).

Now, researchers from the Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau) in Barcelona and the BBRC have made significant progress: they’ve demonstrated that the detection of biomarker p-tau217 in plasma, obtained by a simple blood test, can predict not only the presence of Alzheimer’s but also its clinical progression, even before any symptoms have become evident.

This finding comes at a key moment: last April the European Medicines Agency (EMA) authorised the sale of lecanemab (Leqembi),

Did you know that your immune system works tirelessly to protect you? How does it do that? And what happens when it fails? This year, as a special feature and to mark the upcoming opening of the CaixaResearch Institute, the European Researchers’ Night at CosmoCaixa will include a dedicated session on immunology: “InmunoRevolución: From Research to the Medicine of the Future”. This series of short, engaging talks will highlight the vital role of the immune system in health and disease.

The session will take place in the Ágora Hall from 18:00 to 20:30, bringing together researchers from the CaixaResearch Institute and other centres supported by ”la Caixa” Foundation to unravel the secrets of the immune system.

You open your eyes one summer morning and discover several bites on your skin. Days later, you have a high temperature, feelings of nausea and your joints are incredibly painful. At the doctor’s, you receive a disturbing diagnosis: dengue fever. “But isn’t that an exotic disease?” you wonder. The answer is obvious: not anymore.

Although it may sound like the beginning of a dystopian novel, this could actually happen where you live. In Spain, for instance, there have been reports of some indigenous cases of tropical diseases that, until recently, had never set foot on European soil. However, what’s most worrying is that these aren’t isolated incidents but signs of a far-reaching change. 

Create, observe, think, correct, rethink… Would you say that these steps form part of the work of an artist, or of scientific research?

Of course, it’s difficult to choose without more context. But if we add paintbrushes and statues to the scene, or alternatively pipettes and microscopes, the answer becomes glaringly obvious. So could we say that, essentially, art and science are more alike than we might have thought?

In this latest CaixaResearch Snapshot we’re joined by David Sancho, a researcher from our network at the National Centre for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC), and Guillermo Mora, a visual artist and ”la Caixa” Foundation fellow.

Okinawa, Japan. Sardinia, Italy. Nicoya, Costa Rica. Three points on the map that are far from each other but which, nevertheless, have a surprising feature in common: the life expectancy of their inhabitants is very high, over 100 years.

These are three of the so-called Blue Zones: places where people not only live longer but in better health. So what’s their secret? 

Beyond diet or physical activity, researchers agree on one key factor they all share: their inhabitants live in environments that favour relaxation and social relationships and promote a strong sense of purpose in life, as well as experiencing low levels of stress. 

And this is no minor detail.