Vicente Felipo is the founding Director of the Laboratory of Neurobiology and of the Program on Neurologic Impairment at Centro de Investigacion Principe Felipe, in Valencia, Spain. They perform basic and translational research on the mechanisms, diagnosis and treatment of neurologic (cognitive, motor, in sleep and circadian rhythms) impairment in different pathological situations, with main focus on hepatic encephalopathy. They study in animal models and in patients with liver cirrhosis and minimal HE (MHE) the molecular mechanisms responsible for the neurological alterations. Once identified the molecular alteration, they try to restore normal cerebral and neurological function through pharmacological treatments. These studies allowed them to restore cognitive and motor function in rats with chronic hepatic encephalopathy and prevent or delay death in rats with acute hyperammonemia or liver failure. They have identified 3-nitrotyrosine as the first good indicator for early MHE diagnosis in patients with chronic liver disease, which will allow generalization of MHE diagnosis and treatment. The Laboratory also studies the effects on brain development and cognitive and motor function of developmental exposure to environmental and food contaminants (methylmercury, PCBs, pesticides).

Research on the mechanisms, diagnosis and treatment of neurologic (cognitive, motor, in sleep and circadian rhythms) impairment in different pathological situations, with main focus on hepatic encephalopathy.