NeuroÈpia

The NeuroÈpia group is a multidisciplinary research group working in the field of neuroscience. The group conducts research across three interrelated areas: Neurology, Clinical Neurophysiology and Neuroepidemiology.

Neurology

Research within the neurology line focuses on neuropathic pain, abnormal perception of nociceptive stimuli, and the use of neurophysiological and histological techniques for diagnosis.

This line also investigates neuroimmunology and the use of remote monitoring tools, such as accelerometry, to monitor patients with walking difficulties.

Clinical Neurophysiology

In clinical neurophysiology, studies are conducted to develop electrophysiological devices aimed at improving electroencephalographic (EEG) recording, particularly for the localisation of cranial electrode positions.

Neuroepidemiology

The neuroepidemiology line studies human neuropsychological development and how lifestyles and environmental factors influence it throughout the life course.

Selected Projects

• Walnut Intake in Pregnant Women and Infant Neurodevelopment (Project 976061)
  Funder: California Walnut Commission (USA)
  Principal Investigator: Jordi Julvez
  Duration: 1 March 2023 – 31 August 2025
  Funding: €129,720
  International competitive grant awarded by the California Walnut Commission Health Research Grant Programme.
• Metabolite Signatures of the Mediterranean Diet, Cognitive Change and Alzheimer’s Disease Risk (AARG-NTF-23-1027318)
  Funder: Alzheimer’s Association (USA)
  Principal Investigator: Jordi Julvez
  Duration: 15 March 2023 – 15 March 2026
  Funding: €230,000
  Competitive international grant investigating metabolic biomarkers linking diet and cognitive ageing.
• Validation and Improvement of Two Innovative Medical Technologies in Clinical Neurophysiology (DTS24/00069)
  Funder: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain)
  Principal Investigator: Jordi Julvez (Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili)
  Duration: 1 January 2025 – 31 December 2027
  Funding: €208,945
  This project focuses on the validation and regulatory development of two medical technologies: a neonatal electrode for amplitude-integrated EEG (aEEG) and an electrode positioning system for clinical neurophysiology.
• Neuroimaging Outcomes for Studying the Association Between Maternal Diet During Pregnancy and Child Neurodevelopment (Nutri-Image)
  Project reference: CNS2023-143985
  Funder: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation
  Principal Investigator: Jordi Julvez
  Duration: 1 June 2024 – 30 May 2026
  Funding: €199,650
  This project implements magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in ongoing population-based birth cohorts to investigate associations between maternal diet and child neurodevelopment.
• The Role of Seafood and Nut Consumption in Human Neurodevelopment from Pregnancy to Adolescence (NUTINBRAIN)
  Project reference: PI21/00266
  Funder: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
  Principal Investigator: Jordi Julvez
  Duration: 1 January 2022 – 30 June 2026
  Funding: €173,635
  The project investigates the role of dietary patterns during pregnancy and childhood in shaping neurodevelopmental outcomes across adolescence.

Selected papers

• Manidis A, Ayala-Aldana N, Bernardo-Castro S, Pinar-Martí A, Galkina P, Fernández-Barrés S, Ramirez-Carrasco P, Lamuela-Raventós RM, Papandreou C, Julvez J. Dietary patterns and neuropsychological function in adolescents: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study. BMC Medicine. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-026-04658-6
• Pinar-Martí A, Ayala-Aldana N, Ruiz-Rivera M, Lertxundi N, Subiza-Pérez M, González-Safont L, Vioque J, Riaño-Galán I, Rodríguez-Dehli C, Iglesias-Vázquez L, Arija V, Fernández-Barrés S, Romaguera D, Pascual-Rubio V, Fabregat-Sanjuán A, Healy D, Basagaña X, Vrijheid M, Guxens M, Foraster M, Julvez J. Maternal prenatal nut and seafood consumption and child neuropsychological function from 4 to 15 years of age: a population-based cohort study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2025;122(1):274-284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.04.032
• Pinar-Martí A, Gignac F, Fernández-Barrés S, Romaguera D, Sala-Vila A, Lázaro I, Ranzani OT, Persavento C, Delgado A, Carol A, Torrent J, Gonzalez J, Roso E, Barrera-Gómez J, López-Vicente M, Boucher O, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Turner MC, Burgaleta M, Canals J, Arija V, Basagaña X, Ros E, Salas-Salvadó J, Sunyer J, Julvez J. Effect of walnut consumption on neuropsychological development in healthy adolescents: a multi-school randomised controlled trial. EClinicalMedicine. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.101954
• Fabregat-Sanjuán A, Rodríguez-Ballabriga Á, Rigo-Vidal A, Pàmies-Vilà R, Larrosa-Capaces S, Rius-Costa V, Pascual-Rubio V. Analysis of electrode performance on amplitude-integrated electroencephalography in neonates: evaluation of a new electrode aCUP-E vs liquid gel electrodes. Frontiers in Pediatrics. 2024. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2024.1452862
• Ayala-Aldana N, Ruiz-Rivera M, Pinar-Martí A, López-Vicente M, Contreras-Rodríguez O, Julvez J. Exploring the interplay of neuropsychological functions, psychological wellbeing and lifestyle through principal component analysis: a comprehensive study. Frontiers in Psychology. 2025. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1692251
• Ayala-Aldana N, Pinar-Martí A, Ruiz-Rivera M, Fernández-Barrés S, Romaguera D, Casanova-Mollà J, Solà-Valls N, Julvez J. Adolescent dietary patterns derived using principal component analysis and neuropsychological functions: a cross-sectional analysis of the Walnuts Smart Snack cohort. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-024-02577-6
• Artola M, Hernando A, Vidal O, Vidal N, Cuenca E, Horno R, Robles MÁ, Oriol C, Peralta S, Solana MAJ, Rubio M, Montero C, Lleixà M, Zabay C, Martin M, Leon I, Molinos C, Matamoros M, Mercadé L, Fornali O, Montero L, Saiz A, Solà-Valls N. The role of specialist nurses in detecting spasticity and related symptoms in multiple sclerosis. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 2023;32(13-14):3496-3503. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16421