Functional studies are those where research on the effect of drugs is based on experiments whose evaluated endpoint is directly related to a specific functionality. In these studies, a given response of the drug on the whole body or on one tissue is “visualized”.

In the framework of the Barcelona Ciencia 2007 initiative, the Esteve Foundation organized this round table, held in Sitges at the Palacio Mar i Cel last 30 November 2007 and where different Spanish groups of basic research in pharmacology shared their experience on what is commonly known as functional studies.

The meeting topics focused strictly on basic pharmacology, that is, on animal research. Recent contributions of functional studies to basic pharmacological research was moderated by Albert Badia, from the Pharmacology Department of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, and the following 11 papers were submitted:

1. New functional methods for studying drug-receptor interaction

Mª Dolores Ivorra

2. Vasodilating activity of trans-resveratrol on isolated rat thoracic aorta: a clear evidence of its cardioprotective effects

Francisco Orallo

3. Inflammation as a therapeutic target for cerebral ischemia

Anna Mª Planas

4. New functional models in inflammation. Applications in pulmonary pathology

María-Jesús Sanz

5. Mechanisms involved in pulmonary vasoconstriction induced by hypoxia, thromboxane and serotonin. New therapeutic targets for treating pulmonary hypertension?

Francisco Pérez-Vizcaíno

6. Functional studies in learning and memory

María Javier Ramírez

7. Problems found in the pharmacodynamic interaction studies with different antiepileptic drugs

Juan A. Armijo

8. Cognitive, motivational and neurochemical effects of repeat administration of MDMA in the mouse

Patricia Robledo

9. Immediate and long-term functional consequences of MDMA administration

María Isabel Colado

10. Acute and inflammatory pain experimental studies: the intraplantar formalin administration model in the mouse

Cruz Miguel Cendán

11. Animal models of neuropathic pain: antitumoral-induced pain vs. peripheral nerve manipulation

Carlos Goicoechea

All submissions of this round table will be gathered in a coming Dr. Antonio Esteve Monograph.