•   Study of polymorphisms of susceptibility to the inflammatory response and        
            endothelium lesion in acute cerebral ischaemic.

        •   Molecular mechanisms associated with the haemorrhagic progression and  
            transformation of the cerebral infarction.

        •   Advanced techniques of neuroimaging through magnetic resonacein hyper-
            acute ictus: markers of growth and progression of cerebral infarction, 
            correlation with molecular markers.

        •   Ultrasonography: studies of cerebral perfusion with echopotentiates in acute 
            ischaemic ictus, cryptogenic ictus associated with right-left shunt.

        •   Cerebral haemorrhage:  Molecular markers, genetic and neuroimaging 
            associated with early neurological deterioration and and growth of haematoma.  

        •   Telestroke: application of    ‘telemedicine’   in the treatment of acute ictus with
            special attention to recanalizing and neuroprotection therapies.

The group  integrated in research  into vascular cerebral pathology at the Josep Trueta University Hospital is made up of the group researching ischaemia and cerebral haemorrhage of the HUDJT, the neuroradiology group of IDI, and the group on computerised graphics of the University of Girona (see computer processing and its applications).

 The research group in ischaemia and cerebral haemorrhage (neurology group) of the HUDJT was brought into being in 1997 at the same time as the first Acute Ictus Unit in the country, which at present has six beds, four of which have semi-intensive monitoring with telemetria and closed circuit TV, providing the base for academic clinical research. This is a reference unit for assisting in the formation of the specialists of the country. It participates actively in the formation in neurosonology and trombolitic treatment with rt-PA. It has collaborated in more than fifteen clinical tests in the acute phase and in various subsidised academic projects. Its patient-care protocols have been published and are available for reference in other communities. The main achievements of the Neurology group have centred on the knowledge of the molecular mechanisms associated with eschaemia  cerebral and its implication in the neurological deficit, in the growth of cerebral infarction and in haemorrhagic transformation. Over the last years it has collaborated  in the experimental study of the molecular mechanisms associated with the phenomenon of ischaemic tolerance as well as in the study of the mechanisms that regulate the liberation and the recovery of the glutamate in cultures of neurones and in the ischaemic cerebrum. At present they are an integral part of a research network with three other hospital centres as well as with an experimental laboratory (www.neurogps.com.es). The collaboration with the neuroradiology group of IDI has, over the last two years, permitted the use of the multimodal MR with sequences of diffusion, perfusion and angio-MR as an initial diagnostic test in acute ictus. Together with the Communications in Broad Band and Distributed Systems group of the UdG the field of telemedicine (telestroke) is being developed with the aim of providing a telematic network that will make possible the early diagnosis and treatment of acute ictus in the hospitals in the area in connection with and guided by the neurology team of HUDJT. The neurosciences strategic research plan is at present concerned with the study of the different genetic expression in the cascade  of  molecular  reactions  that  occur  in  patients  with acute ischaemic
ictus nd specifically in the identification of polymorphisms or mutations of the genes that codify cytotoxic molecules or neuroprotectors in cerebral ischaemia, in the knowledge of the potential individual susceptibility to brain damage produced by the expression of these molecules and in the development of the technology of RNA (RNAI) interference with the aim of developing new therapeutic targets in ischaemic ictus. The work done over the last few years has been reflected in the publication of numerous articles in scientific journals both national and international reaching an impact factor of over 160 in the last 5 years.