The main research themes in our group are focused on assessing different intervention strategies which can act as protective in face of the induced changes by the social stress against aging.

In animal models our studies are based on the paradigm of the environmental enrichment which consist of providing high social, physical and mental activities. Among the aims of our group is to assess the behavioural changes in response to the enriched environment and determine whether this manipulation contributes to prevent and/or revert the side effects, both to an emotional reactivity level and cognitive, which are associated to old ages and after a chronic exposure to social stress situations. In addition, we aim to determine whether the possible neuroprotective effects of this enriched environment can strengthen by means of the nicotine administration (or other cholinergic nicotinic agonists).

In human subjects our interest is focused on the assessment of all those factors of lifestyles that may help to reduce the effects of chronic stress and promote the so-called cognitive reserve and, in this way, counteract or delay the cognitive deterioration associated with aging.

The ultimate aim is to contribute to a better knowledge of the mechanisms which favour a more active aging and greater resilience facing the stress effects.