Spain

• 2008–09 studies and publications
• 2007–08 studies and publications
• 2001–06 main studies and 2006 articles

• Research institutions
• Funding institutions
• National scientific journals
• Websites
• Recent studies
• Bibliographic references (2009–10)

For a short overview of drug-related research in Spain, visit the Country overviews. For a more comprehensive overview of drug-related research in the European countries, download our Selected issue on drug-related research. The Spanish National reports are available here.

Main research institutions

The Ministry of Science and Innovation is responsible for proposing and implementing the government's policy concerning universities, scientific research, technological development and innovation in all sectors, as well as for coordinating all research public agencies.

Please see the following section for more information on research centres in Spain.

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Main funding institutions

The State Administration’s management and financing of the Research, Development and Innovation (R+D+I) projects on addiction are carried out through the following departments and public entities:

• Carlos III Health Institute. The programme of the Ministry of Science and Innovation for scientific research on biomedicine and health sciences in 2008–11 is part of the Biomedicine Plan within the National R+D+I Plan. The Carlos III Health Institute is a body for scientific support in the Ministry of Science and Innovation which manages the following programmes in relation to research on addiction:

  • The sector-based programme of the Health Research Fund (FIS) is made up of research projects and training for researchers on biomedicine and public health. It includes a specific line of research on drug addiction. The FIS has made significant contributions to the knowledge on opiate and cocaine use rates and monitoring, as well as estimation by capture–recapture.

• The Spanish Network on Addictive Disorders (Red de Trastornos Adictivos, RTA) is a network of scientists from Spain that develop collaborative research of excellence in the field of addiction. It was created after a public competition in 2003, and renovated in 2006 for the period 2007–10. It depends integrally on the budget allocated by the Spanish Government through the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, the major public agency financing biomedical research, now in the Ministery of Science and Innovation. The RTA is currently made up of  31 groups covering the most relevant territories of Spain, as described in the following table >>

• The Government Delegation for the National Plan on Drugs implements activities aimed at promoting the improvement of knowledge in the field of addiction. These activities form part of the Action Plan for 2009–16 of the National Strategy on Drugs. The Government Delegation for the National Plan on Drugs has several financing instruments for research on addiction:

  • Calls for funding of research projects presented by research centres

  • Calls for funding of research projects presented by governmental organisations

  • Bilateral agreements with central administration departments, universities, research centres and other partners

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National scientific journals

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Other websites

The Documentation Centre of the Government Delegation for the National Plan on Drugs
The Documentation Centre is specialised in drug addiction, with bibliographic collections in different domestic and foreign languages. These bibliographic collections encompass all types of addictive substances (legal and illegal), as well as policies for action, in both Spain and the largest western countries, in relation to the prevention, treatment, re-integration etc. of drug addicts and the control of illicit drug trafficking. It also has documentation on the activities carried out by international entities with responsibilities in this field, e.g. the United Nations, European Union, Council of Europe, etc.

Spanish Drug Addiction Study Association (AESED)
AESED (which began under the name of Drogalcohol) supports the study of, training on and scientific dissemination of studies on alcoholism and other drug addictions. Among its areas of work are the Centre for Documentation on Drug Addictions, REDOC, which was officially opened in 1994. The website includes access to a portion of the contents from the last issue of the Spanish Drug Addictions Journal, as well as an index by authors of the articles published since it was created in 1976.

Spanish Dual Pathology Association (AEPD)
AEPD was set up in Madrid in 2005, with the main goal to study, research and increase awareness about Dual Pathology, defined as the comorbidity in the same person of an addictive behaviour (alcoholism, drug addictions, behavioural addictions, etc.) and  mental illness.

Centre for Addiction Research and Treatment (CITA)
Created in 1986 by Dr Josep María Fábregas, CITA has considerable experience in drug addiction treatment.

Foundation for Drug Addiction Study, Prevention and Assistance (FEPAD)
The Autonomous Regional Government of the Valencian Community created this Foundation in 2004 with the objective of improving assistance and prevention for drug addictions and to seek greater knowledge about the social health care situation of drug addictions and their consequences. The activities of FEPAD revolve around carrying out and tracking prevention programs (in schools, families, communities and workplace), and training and research in the field of drug addictions and international cooperation.

Instituto Bitácora
The Instituto Bitácora is a private institution with headquarters in Seville, that has been dedicated since 1990 to research, prevention and treatment of problems resulting from alcohol consumption. Given the close relationship that abusive alcohol consumption has with certain mental pathologies and with the use of other substances, the Institute performs research and gives treatments for these combinations of problems, in order to tackle them in an integrated manner.

Institute for Drug Addiction Research (INID) 
The INID, attached to the Miguel Hernández University (Alicante), is oriented towards research, training and the application of programs and resources, by providing services and technical consulting to the public and/or private entities which request it, on all the problems related with drug addictions (prevention, assistance and social re-integration). It includes a section with advice for youths on different substances that may be addictive (alcohol, hallucinogens, cocaine, inhalers, marijuana and tobacco). The websites allow for access to the articles published in the journal Salud y drogas.

Deusto Drug Addiction Institute (IDD)
The Deusto Drug Addiction Institute is a university entity which forms part of Deusto University (Bilbao). The Institute was created in 1990 with to harmonise efforts to analyse drug addiction in its different facets throughout the University. Its main goals are scientific and technical research, teaching activities, organising symposia and scientific meetings, and training professionals in the field of drug addiction.

Good Practices in Treatment with Methadone (MEHIB) 
Within the Andalusian School of Public Health, MEHIB includes an access point on Mehib (Methadone maintenance and health care for drug users: identifying best practice), a multi-centred research project carried out by the Andalusian School of Public Health, the University of Bremen and King's College London, on different aspects of Methadone Treatment Programmes (PTM). The objective of the website is to disseminate the results obtained and act as a point for meeting and reflection for professionals interested in this topic.

Addiction Disorder Network (RTA)
The RTA, described above, has developed a project of web resources with a final goal of facilitating communication to society, teaching activities, as well as interaction between groups. It includes web-resources for continuous education and the RTA blog.

Spanish Scientific Society of Studies on Alcohol, Drug Addictions and other Addictions (Socidrogalcohol)
Socidrogalcohol is a non-profit scientific society declared to be of public utility, made up of professionals with different academic degrees. Founded in 1969, it has a nationwide presence, and has various autonomous regional delegations. Its main goals are to promote the performance of scientific activities related to drug addictions and to facilitate the relations between scientists dedicated to studying and researching the problems resulting from the abuse of toxic substances. Access to the summaries of those articles published in the journal Adicciones since 1996.

Spanish Society for Research on Cannabinoids (SEIC)
Inside the website of the Complutense University of Madrid, the SEIC is a scientific society made up of researchers who work in the field of cannabinoids through different disciplines and methodologies. The SEIC attempts to support these scientists and provide a legal framework that promotes research and advancement in the knowledge on cannabinoids. The website includes access to the programmes and summaries presented at its annual meetings, as well as the electronic bulletins that it has been producing since January 2002.

Spanish Drug Addictions Society (SET)
The SET, located in Valencia, is a society with nationwide scope founded in 1988. Its main objective is to make it possible for professionals to share scientific information (doctors, psychiatrists, pharmacists, psychologists, etc.), thereby promoting the progress of knowledge in the field of drug addictions.

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Recent studies used for the 2010 National report

The following studies were amongst those used for the 2010 Spanish National report and could be seen as among the most relevant, recent studies in Spain. Most of the bibliographic references can be found in the next section of this page.

• The 2009 Home Survey on Alcohol and Drugs in Spain
• Evaluative investigation of the experiences in selective prevention at the Social Guarantee centres of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country (University of Deusto)
• Preparation of a system for evaluating and enhancing the drug addition prevention and health promotion programs among Galicia's adolescent population; Phase II (University of Santiago de Compostela)
• Early prevention of drug abuse: Follow-up study and multi-component intervention. Phase II (University of Santiago de Compostela)
• Problematic heroin use incidence trends in Spain (Sánchez-Niubó, Fortiana, Barrio, Suelves, Correa, Domingo-Salvany, 2009)
• Recruitment methodology and characteristics of a cohort of young regular cocaine users in three Spanish cities (the Itinere-cocaine Project) (Brugal, de la FL, Ballesta, Barrio, Bravo et al. Gac Sanit 2009)
• Problem cannabis use among Spanish students within the 14–18 age range (Klempova, Sánchez, Vicente, Barrio et al., 2009)
• In-hospital HIV–AIDS patient survey (National Epidemiology Centre)
• From recreational use to problem use. The role of the family, work, the contexts and the peer group (Igenus Foundation)
• Evaluative study of the accessibility to the drug dependence care resources for females in a situation of exclusion (Igia Group)
• Drug-Dependent Criminal Offenders in the Process of Employment Reintegration (funded by Spanish Government Delegation for the National Plan on Drug)
• Analysis of the Situation of Families with Juveniles in Protection and Reform Centres (funded by Spanish Government Delegation for the National Plan on Drugs)

A full list of funded projects in 2009 is available here >>

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2010 National report bibliography (2009 and 2010 references only)

National Drug Strategy 2009–16. Ministry of Health and Social Policy, 2009.

Action Plan on Drugs 2009–12. Ministry of Health and Social Policy, 2010.

Assessment of National Drug Strategy 2000–08. Ministry of Health and Social Policy, 2010.

Problem cannabis use among 14–18-year-old students: validation test, 2009

Cannabis — The Clinical Committee’s report No 4.2009

Heroin — The Clinical Committee’s report No 5.2010

Alén F, Santos A, Moreno-Sanz G, González-Cuevas G, Giné E, Franco-Ruiz L, Navarro M, López-Moreno JA. Cannabinoid-induced increase in relapse-like drinking is prevented by the blockade of the glycine-binding site of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors.Neuroscience. 2009 Jan 23;158(2):465-73.

Galan-Rodriguez B, Suarez J, Gonzalez-Aparicio R, Bermudez-Silva FJ, Maldonado R, Robledo P, Rodriguez de Fonseca F, Fernandez-Espejo E. Oleoylethanolamide exerts partial and dose-dependent neuroprotection of substantia nigra dopamine neurons. Neuropharmacology. 2009 Mar;56(3):653-64

J. Llorente, R. Rodriguez-Puertas, J. Pineda. Differential regulation of CB1 receptor activity by methadone and morphien treatments. En fase preparación

A. Mendiguren, J. Pineda. Effect of the CB1 receptor antagonists rimonabant and AM 251 on the firing rate of dorsal raphe nucleus neurons in rat brain slices. Br. J. Pharmacol (remitido el 23 de marzo de 2009, en espera del informe del Editor)

Moreno G., O´Shea, E, Orio L, González-Cuevas G, Navarro M, Colado MI, López-Moreno JA. Administration of MDMA to ethanol deprivated rats increases operant self-administration and dopamine release during reinstatement. 2009, Intenational Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 12, 1-12.

T. Zamalloa, C.P. Bailey J. Pineda. Glutamate-induced post-activation inhibition of locus coeruleus neurons is mediated by AMPA/ kainate receptors and sodium-dependent potassium currents. British Journal of Pharmacology. Vol 156. Pags: 649–661. Año: 2009.

All publications from projects funded by the National Plan on Drugs are available here >>

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