Leading Hungarian Neuroscience Centres Presented their Latest Findings at the Closing Conference of NAP 3.0

The National Brain Research Programme is one of the flagship initiatives of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. NAP 1.0 was launched in 2013 with support from the Government and the Academy, followed by NAP 2.0 in 2017. NAP 3.0, which began in 2022 and will conclude on 31 August 2026, is being carried out under the auspices of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, with the participation of 38 research groups in a consortium bringing together 10 Hungarian institutions. The aim of the NAP programmes is to provide targeted support for Hungary’s leading research groups so that we can gain a fuller understanding of how the nervous system functions as soon as possible, and so that research into disorders of the nervous system can contribute to the development of treatments and preventive approaches.

The closing conference of NAP 3.0 was opened by Zoltán Nusser, Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Director of the programme. The 18 presentations and 17 posters showcased at the event clearly reflected the programme’s scientific diversity: participants presented their findings on topics ranging from fundamental research on the nervous system to clinical applications. The lively scientific debates and discussions often continued after the presentations had ended.

The presentations also addressed a  few issues of particular importance from a societal perspective. These included the ageing of developed societies. Three research groups using different methodological approaches also reported findings related to ageing. Studies carried out over several years by the group led by Zoltán Vidnyánszky (HUN-REN Centre for Natural Sciences) provided scientific evidence that (folk) music, (folk) dance and social relationships are among the most effective means of combating the effects of ageing.

The research group led by István Krizbai (HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged) highlighted the importance of the role of cerebral microcirculation in preserving cognitive function in old age, while the group led by Anita Kamondi (Gyula Nyírő National Institute of Psychiatry and Addictions) developed widely applicable diagnostic methods for the early detection of cognitive decline.

The importance of research into depression and anxiety is clearly demonstrated by the sad fact that disorders in this group now affect as many as one in five people, while also placing an enormous burden on society.

In his presentation, István Fodor, a member of the research group led by Zsolt Pirger (HUN-REN Balaton Limnological Research Institute), showed that the simple nervous system of the great pond snail is also a suitable model for research into anxiety and depression. The similarity between anxiety in humans and in the great pond snail at the level of molecular mechanisms is also demonstrated by the fact that signs of anxiety in the snail can be alleviated using a drug developed for human use.

The NAP 3.0 program officially ends on August 31, 2026, but if the research and scientific collaborations carried out to date can continue in the future, we can expect further valuable results that will advance neuroscience and benefit society.