Dr. Carmina Montoliu Félix
Principal Investigator
Research Group on Neurological Impairment
Presentation
PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Valencia. Professor of the Department of Pathology of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Valencia. She carries out his research activity at the Neurological Impairment Laboratory of the University of Valencia/INCLIVA Health Research Institute.
She coordinates the Transversal Program for Neurological Deterioration, with the participation of clinical research groups and basic research groups. She is a Member of the Training and Mobility Selection Commission, the Research Commission and the Innovation Commission of the Internal Scientific Committee of FIHCUV-INCLIVA-University of Valencia. In addition, the Euro-Mediterranean Master’s Degree in Neurosciences and Biotechnology from the University of Valencia.
Dr. Montoliu’s research activity has produced more than 120 articles published in international journals and various international patents.
We have been carrying out Basic and Translational Research with international relevance for years and we participate in the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Aging (EIP-AHA) of the European Commission, as a collaborating member.
The Neurological Impairment research group has been researching for many years mainly in the field of early detection and prevention of cognitive and functional impairment in the pathology of patients with liver disease who present minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE), that is, cognitive impairment and mild functional. Chronic liver disease progresses in different phases, including alcoholic or nonalcoholic liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) that can lead to fibrosis and cirrhosis.
Our research aims to better characterize the alterations in EHM and the mechanisms that produce them, evaluating new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The studies are unique because they will make it possible to detect changes that are taking place in the immune system and at the brain level in patients in the earliest stages of mild cognitive and functional impairment. They will make it possible to identify brain signals or blood markers that give us information about what is happening in the brain.
Our group has been the first to find the first diagnostic marker in minimal hepatic encephalopathy and to identify a biomarker for early detection of cognitive impairment in patients with liver cirrhosis.
Early detection and treatment and prevention of cognitive and functional impairment would improve the quality of life, survival and vitality of patients with chronic liver diseases and would reduce hospitalizations and the demand for resources on the health system, improving its sustainability.
The studies of our research group will make it possible to detect changes in the process of cognitive deterioration associated with the development of pathologies such as chronic liver disease and that the results achieved contribute to improving the medical care that our health system offers to the patient. Looking for new therapeutic tools that can reverse or control the progress of cognitive and functional deterioration.
Publications
Corrigendum to Development and validation of the AMMON-OHE model to predict risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy occurrence in outpatients with cirrhosis [J Hepatol 79(4) (2023 Oct) 967-976]. Ballester MP, Tranah TH, Balcar L, Fiorillo A, Ampuero J, Kerbert AJC, Thomsen KL, Escudero MD, Mandorfer M, Reiberger T, Shawcross DL, Romero-Gómez M, Montoliu C, Carbonell-Asins JA, Jalan R. Journal of Hepatology. 2023 Dec;79(6):1571. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2023.10.013. PMID: 37919110
Development and validation of the AMMON-OHE model to predict risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy occurrence in outpatients with cirrhosis. Ballester M, Tranah T, Balcar L, Fiorillo A, Ampuero J, Kerbert A, Thomsen K, Escudero M, Mandorfer M, Reiberger T, Shawcross D, Romero-Gomez M, Montoliu C, Carbonell-Asins J, Jalan R. Journal of Hepatology. 2023 Oct;79(4):967-976. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2023.05.022. PMID: 37277075
Erythrocytes functionality in SARS-CoV-2 infection: potential link with Alzheimer’s disease. Kosenko E, Tikhonova L, Alilova G, Montoliu C. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2023 Mar 17;24(6):5739. doi: 10.3390/ijms24065739. PMID: 36982809
Mild cognitive impairment is associated with enhanced activation of Th17 lymphocytes in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Fiorillo A, Gallego J, Casanova-Ferrer F, Gimenez-Garzo C, Urios A, Ballester M, Durban L, Rios M, Megias J, San Miguel T, Kosenko E, Escudero-Garcia D, Benlloch S, Felipo V, Montoliu C. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2023 Jun 20;24(12):10407. doi: 10.3390/ijms241210407. PMID: 37373554
Matched paired primary and recurrent meningiomas points to cell-death program contributions to genomic and epigenomic instability along tumor progression. San-Miguel T, Megias J, Monleon D, Navarro L, Munoz-Hidalgo L, Montoliu C, Meri M, Roldan P, Cerda-Nicolas M, Lopez-Gines C. Cancers. 2022 Aug 19;14(16):4008. doi: 10.3390/cancers14164008. PMID: 36011000
Metabolic syndrome is associated with poor response to rifaximin in minimal hepatic encephalopathy. Ballester M, Gallego J, Fiorillo A, Casanova-Ferrer F, Gimenez-Garzo C, Escudero-Garcia D, Tosca J, Rios M, Monton C, Durban L, Ballester J, Benlloch S, Urios A, San-Miguel T, Kosenko E, Serra M, Felipo V, Montoliu C. Scientific Reports. 2022 Feb 14;12(1):2463. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-06416-z. PMID: 35165326
Minimal hepatic encephalopathy is associated to alterations in eye movements. Casanova-Ferrer F, Garcia-Cena CE, Gallego JJ, Fiorillo A, Urios A, Calvo-Cordoba A, Ballester MP, Rios MP, Durban L, Hidalgo MR, Garcia F, Felipo V, Montoliu C. Scientific Reports. 2022 Oct 7;12(1):16837. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-21230-3. PMID: 36207472
Plasma ammonia levels predict hospitalisation with liver-related complications and mortality in clinically stable outpatients with cirrhosis. Tranah T, Ballester M, Carbonell-Asins J, Ampuero J, Alexandrino G, Caracostea A, Sanchez-Torrijos Y, Thomsen K, Kerbert A, Capilla-Lozano M, Romero-Gomez M, Escudero-Garcia D, Montoliu C, Jalan R, Shawcross D. Journal of Hepatology. 2022 Dec;77(6):1554-1563. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.07.014. PMID: 35872326
Patients with Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy Show Altered Thermal Sensitivity and Autonomic Function. Rega D, Aiko M, Penaranda N, Urios A, Gallego J, Gimenez-Garzo C, Casanova F, Fiorillo A, Cabrera-Pastor A, San-Miguel T, Ipiens C, Escudero-Garcia D, Tosca J, Monton C, Ballester M, Ballester J, Aparicio L, Rios M, Durban L, Mir A, Kosenko E, Cases P, Felipo V, Montoliu C. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2021 Jan 11;10(2):E239. doi: 10.3390/jcm10020239. PMID: 33440769
Projects
Title: Caracterización de las alteraciones neurológicas y cerebrales en pacientes con encefalopatía hepática mínima. Contribucu¡ión de la Inflamación. Implicaciones diagnósticas y terapéuticas
Funding body: Instituto de Salud Carlos III – Cofinanciado FEDER
Principal Investigator: Carmina Montoliu Félix
Duration: 2019 – 2021
Total budget: 171.820 €
Title: Mecanismos moleculares y cerebrales de las alteraciones cognitivas y motoras en hiperamonemia y encefalopatía hepática. lmplicaciones terapéuticas y diagnósticas
Funding body: Conselleria de Educación, Cultura y Deporte
Principal Investigator: Vicente Felipo Orts
Duration: 2018 – 2021
Total budget: 289.194,57
+ Info
Doctoral candidate: Fiorillo, Alesandra
Director(s): Montoliu Felix, Carmina; San Miguel Díaz, Teresa
Date of the defense: 01/11/2023
University: University de Valencia
Title: Caracterización de las alteraciones en el inmunofenotipo asociadas a la aparición de la encefalopatía hepática mínima en pacientes cirróticos. Implicación de las vesículas extracelulares
Doctoral candidate: Gallego Roig, Juan José
Director(s): Montoliu Felix, Carmina; Megías Vericat, Javier
Date of the defense: 01/11/2023
University: University de Valencia
Title: Characterization and evaluation of alterations in sensitivity and autonomic function in patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy
Doctoral candidate: Rega Caballero, Dalia
Director(s): Montoliu Felix, Carmina; Uriós Lluch, Amparo; Cases Bergón, Paula
Date of the defense: 05/12/2022
University: Universitat Politècnica de València
Title: Caracterización del deterioro neurológico y la respuesta al tratamiento con rifaximina en pacientes con encefalopatía hepática mínima
Doctoral candidate: Ballester Ferré, Maria Pilar
Director(s): Montoliu Félix, Carmina; Escudero García, Desamparados; Serra Desfílis Miguel Ángel
Date of the defense: 08/01/2021
University: Universitat de València