Unit of Addictive Behaviors

Research - Unit of Addictive Behaviors

The research led by the Addictive Behaviour Unit at the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona focuses on improving the well-being of people who suffer from substance use disorders or have been diagnosed with behavioural addictions (pathological gambling).

The research led by the Addictive Behaviour Unit is carried out through the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), in the area of Clinical and Experimental Neuroscience. More specifically, it is carried out by the following research group:

Clinical addictions
Line 1: Alcohol use disorder and other addictions, and related comorbidities: new tools for diagnosis and treatment
1. Tobacco and mental health
2. Chemsex
3. Psychological trauma and addictions
4. Alcohol use disorder and severe liver disease
5. Evaluation of group therapies for addiction
6. Pharmacological treatments for detoxification and rehabilitation
Line 2: Cannabis use disorders and high-risk cannabis use Prevention of addictions, workforce addiction and public health
1. Definition and implementation of the concept of high-risk use
2. Health literacy and cannabis use among adolescents and young people
3. Brain damage caused by cannabis use
Line 3: Prevention of addictions, workforce addiction and public health
1. Workforce Addiction - Valorisation in Europe (WAVE)
2. Cross-sectional and prospective studies on the impact of addictions
3. Public policies and disorders related to alcohol consumption
4. Training in addictions
5. Validation of measurement instruments in addictions
6. Multifactorial prevention of cancer, including tobacco and alcohol, through brief interventions
Line 4: Digital health and addictions
1. Digital tools for improving treatment adherence
2. Digital assessment of cognitive functions and impact on disease progression
3. Virtual reality as a tool to improve the detoxification process
4. Improvement of population screening and referral to treatment through self-selection with digital tools

The Unit forms part of several networks of scientific research and collaboration with national research centres and various ongoing collaborations with international centres:

Emerging Research Group recognized by the AGAUR of the Generalitat (SGR 01158)
RICORS- Primary Care Addiction Research Network (RIAPad) (Carlos III Institute). https://riapad.es