The aim of the present study is to apply neuroimaging techniques to investigate how physical exercise may influence the addiction circuitry, ultimately reducing alcohol consumption and craving in youth binge drinkers. This proposal will advance knowledge on how exercise may modulate the neurocircuitry of addiction. Uncovering the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the interactive neural effects of exercise and alcohol intake may provide additional scientific insights for the development of preventive and intervention programs for youth BD and AUD.

Start Date01 Jan 2026

Sponsor / Collaborator

University of Minho

NCT05472194

/ Not yet recruitingNot Applicable

Promoting Inclusive Education Through Executive Functions - Study Protocol of a Randomized Control Trial

Background: Recently governments worldwide have been doing enormous efforts to ensuring egalitarian educational opportunities for all children. However, the number of children that remain out of the school or lack proficiency in academic performance is still very worrying. One of the factors that seems to contribute to such inequalities is socioeconomic status (SES). SES strongly impacts the developmental trajectory of both the brain and cognitive abilities as off early childhood, further affecting learning and academic success.
Despite the great interest in building inclusive societies and the promising results of executive functions' training programs for leveling the SES-achievement disparities, only a few studies have actually included schools from low-SES settings and lack a comprehensive, evidence-based background underlying the intervention protocols. Thus, with a preventive emphasis, the current project aims to implementing and evaluating a cost-effective game-based training protocol to promote and boost the development of executive functions in preschool and elementary school-aged children from disadvantaged contexts, ultimately contributing to prevent school dropout and reduce academic inequalities.

Start Date01 Sep 2025

Sponsor / Collaborator

University of Minho

NCT06823557

/ Not yet recruitingPhase 1

Gut2Brain: Investigation of the Mechanisms of the Gut-brain Axis in Binge Eating and Obesity

Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is a recently recognized eating disorder, characterized by recurrent episodes of overeating with a loss of control. Highly comorbid with obesity, BED is associated with poor outcomes in weight loss treatments and presents unique challenges due to its distinct neuro-psycho-biological mechanisms, which remain poorly understood. The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis (MGBA) is a bidirectional communication system linking the gut microbiota with the central nervous system, that plays a critical role in regulating appetite, mood, and eating behavior. Dysregulations in MGBA may contribute to the development and maintenance of BED, offering a novel framework for understanding its complex mechanisms and identifying new therapeutic targets. Psychobiotics -pre-, pro-, or symbiotics that modulate the microbiota- emerge as a promising treatment strategy to address BED symptoms by influencing MGBA activity.
The goal of this randomized clinical trial (RCT) is to investigate the role of psychobiotics in modulating the gut-brain axis and improving binge eating in adults, with a particular focus on evaluating these effects independently of obesity status. This project stands out for its comprehensive approach to understanding BED, integrating psychological, neurofunctional, hormonal, and microbiota factors that contribute to this complex disorder.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
* What specific alterations in the MGBA pathways are associated with BED?
* Can psychobiotic supplementation effectively reverse microbiota alterations and modulate MGBA activity, ultimately improving BED symptoms? Researchers will compare participants receiving psychobiotics to those receiving a look-alike substance that contains no drug (a placebo) to evaluate whether psychobiotics impact endocrine hormones, neurofunction, psychological and behavioral factors related to eating regulation, and BED symptoms.
Participants will:
* Undergo an assessment protocol that includes microbiota sampling, blood tests for hormone analysis, neurofunctional evaluations, and psychological/behavioral assessments before and after the psychobiotics/ placebo intervention.
* Take psychobiotics or a placebo daily for 12 weeks and receive well-being monitoring
* Participate in follow-up visits three months after the intervention to monitor changes in BED symptoms and related parameters.

Start Date01 Apr 2025

Sponsor / Collaborator

University of Porto

[+1]

100 Clinical Results associated with University of Minho

0 Patents (Medical) associated with University of Minho

17,340

Literatures (Medical) associated with University of Minho

01 Jun 2026·Medical Gas Research

Molecular hydrogen and kidney diseases: a scoping review based on scientometry and data analytics

Article

Author: Leiva, Víctor ; Castro, Cecilia ; Viana, Johanna

Acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease impose substantial burdens on healthcare systems worldwide. Molecular hydrogen (H2) has emerged as a potential therapy due to its selective antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties. The present study reviews evidence on H₂-based renal interventions, examining therapeutic mechanisms, bibliometric trends, and existing research gaps based on data analytics. This scoping review integrates quantitative bibliometric analysis with qualitative thematic synthesis. This integration, uncommon in conventional scoping reviews, reveals important gaps. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines, 69 publications were identified through Scopus and Web of Science. These publications mostly originated from Asia, particularly China and Japan, with clear peaks of activity in 2019 and 2024, but international collaboration remains limited. H₂ consistently demonstrated protective effects against apoptosis, fibrosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress across acute kidney injury, nephrotoxicity, transplantation, and early chronic kidney disease models. Our findings suggest that hydrogen therapy holds promise for renoprotection in both acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease. Nonetheless, more robust clinical trials and standardized research methodologies are imperative to facilitate its broader adoption into clinical nephrology practice.

01 Jan 2026·Neural Regeneration Research

Spinal cord injury–associated disruption of the autonomic immune control: Does biological sex matter?

Article

Author: Monteiro, Susana ; Rito-Fernandes, Sara ; Silva, Nuno A. ; Salgado, António J.

The impact of spinal cord injury (SCI) on the immune system is increasingly recognized in a field traditionally focused on motor impairments.A recent study has highlighted the significant role of autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction in contributing to immune dysregulation.Nevertheless, injuries to the cervical or thoracic regions of the spinal cord compromise the sympathetic branch of this neural control over the immune response.The dysregulation of the ANS following SCI not only disrupts peripheral immune responses but also has significant implications for intraspinal inflammation.However, one critical yet often overlooked factor in this context is the role of sex differences in both the ANS and immune system.While recognizing potential sex-related differences across various research domains is clearly important, mere awareness of these differences is insufficient for drawing reliable conclusions.

01 Jan 2026·TALANTA

Chitosan-based molecularly imprinted polymers for point-of-care C-reactive protein detection

Article

Author: Martins, Gabriela V ; Moreira, Beatriz ; Calvet, Sofia ; Marques, Arcelina

Advanced intelligent wound monitoring is emerging as a critical tool in first-line therapy, supported by innovative products that accelerate the healing process. A novel approach based on molecular imprinting technology was developed to detect biomarkers associated with wound inflammation, using biopolymeric materials. In this study, an electrochemical biosensor for the selective detection of C-reactive protein (CRP) was developed by modifying gold screen-printed electrodes (Au-SPE) with molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). The high-performance sensor film was prepared by the electropolymerization of an aniline monomer in the presence of chitosan polysaccharide and a CRP template on the Au-SPE surface. Key parameters, including the removal agent, scanning rate and the number of electropolymerization cycles, were systematically optimized. Optimal MIP performance, characterized by an enhanced electrochemical response upon recognition of the template molecules, was achieved using a scan rate of 50 mV/s and five electropolymerization cycles. The results demonstrated that this biocompatible biosensor platform exhibited exceptional selectivity and sensitivity, enabling the detection of CRP at concentrations ranging from 1 pg/mL to 10 ng/mL. The incorporation of chitosan into the MIP matrix represents a strategic advancement with significant potential for healthcare applications, owing to its inherent biocompatibility and well-documented benefits in tissue engineering. Additionally, chitosan improves the stabilization of macromolecular templates and enhances their binding interactions with functional monomers. Importantly, this study represents one of the first applications of chitosan-based MIPs in point-of-care (PoC) protein diagnostics.

News (Medical) associated with University of Minho

12 Nov 2019

·www.biospace.com

Europe has a new bioregion: Galicia and Northern Portugal join to collaborate internationally

The bioregion is from until November 13 participating at the 25th Annual International Partnering Conference BIO-Europe 2019 in Hamburg. The bioregion is from until November 13 participating at the 25th Annual International Partnering Conference BIO-Europe 2019 in Hamburg. Galicia and the North of Portugal come together to create a bioregion with international orientation. The bioregion that represents more tan 120 biotech companies grows at an annual average of 15%. This Bioregion intends to collaborate with other bioregions on merging into synergies. November, 11. Hamburg.- The 25th Annual International Partnering Conference BIO-Europe 2019 hosts these days the presentation of the Galicia-North of Portugal Bioregion. Being geographically close, Galician and Northern Portugal companies can merge into synergies, which could not exist if they were not this close. This geographical proximity is a key factor for the birth of this bioregion. The region Galicia-North of Portugal biotechnological sector uses its progress potential in order to innovate, and entails a strategic bet on the future for all economic agents of the Bioregion. This achievement looks forward to improving business competitiveness and consolidating the biotech and life sciences sector in the Bioregion Galicia-North of Portugal. In order to achieve this, it uses a joint roadmap based on collaboration and cooperation between agents and companies on both sides of the border. Companies that form the Bioregion biotechnological network have several strengths: production capacity, high level of technology and innovation, scientific knowledge development, large percentage of clients from external markets, R&D international collaboration projects and fusion and complementarity with other sectors. The Bioregion DNA is characterized by more than 120 Biotech companies, more tan 200 M€ investment in Bio R&D, and 15% above average anual growth, 16 research centres and 6 universities. The bioregion is export-oriented and its export levels tend to rise. This is the reason why companies are frequently in the closest European countries, as France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland or the Netherlands. The bioregion Galicia-Northern Portugal has outstanding companies like: Galchimia: a reference in chemical synthesis. Improving society through organic chemistry research galchimia.com Zendal: seven companies focused on the research, development, manufacture and commercialization of high added value products in the field of health zendal.com AmsLab: one of the leaders in the quality control sector with a high level of specialisation in matrices or highly complex components ams-lab.com Oncolstellae: novel small-molecule drugs in oncology and inflammatory/autoimmune diseases oncostellae.com SunRock Biopharma: therapeutic antibodies against cancer, CCR9 and HER3 sunrockbiopharma.com Silicolife: designs optimized microorganisms and novel pathways for industrial biotechnology applications, based on computational metabolic engineering and synthetic biology approaches silicolife.com Nuada: a revolutionary hand function improving system, safe, light and small that was designed to be affordable and non-intrusive nuada.pt Stemmatters: regenerative medicine developing ground breaking biomaterials for tissue repair and regeneration stemmatters.com PeekMed: a powerful 3D pre-operative planning software for orthopedic surgery peekmed.com Sword Health: the first Digital Therapist ever. Maximizing engagement and delivering superior clinical outcomes swordhealth.com This bioregion has born within the framework of the CT-Bio Project. CT-Bio is possible due to the combined work of the following institutions from Galicia and the North of Portugal: representative associations of the biotech industry (Bioga and P-Bio), Universities and Research centres (University of Santiago de Compostela, University of Minho and International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory) and the promoter entity of economic development Vigo Free Trade Zone Consortium. CT-Bio is a european Project co-financed by the European Union. For more information: lang=en Contact to press: Fuencisla Cid: +34 639 657 943 / fcid@eosa.com

100 Deals associated with University of Minho

100 Translational Medicine associated with University of Minho

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