Newsletter

Worldwide, approximately 50-100 million people suffer only from neuropathic pain, and much more from neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson\'s diseases.

These pathologic brain conditions have severe and long-lasting effects on the quality of life of the persons affected. Since patients suffering from these abnormalities spend increasing numbers of work days on sick-leave, in addition to the obvious health problems, chronic pain and neurodegenerative diseases also generate an economic problem the effect of which can be felt by all members of the society. These tendencies stand out most prominently in countries which underwent dramatic economic and social changes in recent years, like Hungary and Romania.

Thus, it is absolutely reasonable and well justified to investigate neural mechanisms underlying the development of neurodegenerative brain diseases and chronic pain in the framework of Hungarian-Romanian Cross-Border Co-operation Program. High quality research, however, cannot be conducted without an up-to date research infrastructure. Accordingly, with the financial support of the Program the infrastructure for neuroscience research at the Universities of Debrecen and Oradea was developed. The new infrastructure, which increased competitiveness of partners not only in the region but also in the international arena, is pivotal in conducting high quality, internationally competitive research in the field of neurodegenerative diseases and pain. The new scientific results which can be attained with the new research infrastructure may open up new vistas in the development of new and better treatment strategies of neurodegenerative diseases and pain.

On the long run this project may improve the quality of life of many people and may ease the economic problems caused by neurodegenerative brain diseases and pain. As an added value, the project brought people, communities and university actors from the two sides of the border closer to each other, and strengthened social and economic cohesion of the border area. It also catalysed communication and exchange of ideas between the two participating universities. The project was carried out by a well-balanced bilateral team with all the necessary skills and experiences. Partners took equal responsibilities in the realisation of the activities, and had been working on the project with a clear, content based interconnection.

The results were widely distributed both among professionals and the general public.

Author: dr. Antal Miklós, MD, PhD, DSc, Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Head of Department, University of Debrecen

Photo credits: © Project partners of HURO-BrainPain

Project info
Project number: HURO/1101/130/2.2.1
Title: Joint development of research infrastructure to improve cross-border activities in the investigation of neurodegenerative brain diseases and pain
Lead partner: University of Debrecen, Partner: University of Oradea
Total ERDF awarded: 646 323,00 €
Website of the project: http://brainpain.med.unideb.hu