Volume 38, no. 2, February 2025. Identification of the biological signature of Bipolar Disorder to improve the diagnosis, care and quality of life of patients. Tribulus terrestris, efficacy and contraindications: the new Istituto Superiore di Sanità - National Institute of Health in Italy – project. Science at your fingertips: the Istituto Superiore di Sanità takes part in the European Researchers’ Night

Abstracts
Identification of the biological signature of Bipolar Disorder to improve the diagnosis, care and quality of life of patients
The Center of Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (National Institute of Health in Italy) is coordinating the pilot project “Characterization of the inflammatory/immune-neuroendocrine-BDNF interplay during affective episodes and euthymia in bipolar disorder patients: in the search for a peripheral reliable and highly predictive biosignature” in collaboration with the Department of Psychiatry of the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli” (Naples). Bipolar Disorder (BD) is a highly disabling chronic psychiatric condition characterized by severe alterations in mood, emotions and behavior. If not treated appropriately, BD can cause serious suffering to the patients, leading - in the most serious cases - to suicide. The project aims to characterize a “biological signature” specific to BD to facilitate a correct and timely diagnosis to optimize the therapeutic management of the patients and their quality of life.

Tribulus terrestris, efficacy and contraindications: the new Istituto Superiore di Sanità - National Institute of Health in Italy - project
Supplements for athletes are very popular today, and among these, Tribulus terrestris is widely advertised as a muscle stimulant. To date, however, scientific data provide no clear evidence of the usefulness or safety of its use in sports. Further research is needed to clarify its efficacy, but above all to identify any side effects that the uncontrolled use of this supplement may have, whether taken alone or in combination with other supplements and drugs. This is precisely the aim of the new project “Use and abuse of Tribulus terrestris”, which will be conducted by the National Addiction and Doping Centre of the ISS in collaboration with the Marche Polytechnic University.

Science at your fingertips: the Istituto Superiore di Sanità takes part in the European Researchers’ Night
The Istituto Superiore di Sanità (the National Health Institute in Italy) has also joined this year’s scientific dissemination event “European Researchers’ Night” with a program full of practical and fun activities. The aim of the event was to bring to people the ISS commitment in the field of scientific research in public health and involve citizens of all ages in a light, simple but effective way and make them aware of their choices on issues that concern their health.