Neurodegeneratives i neuromusculars

The 35th edition of La Marató de 3Cat will be dedicated to raising awareness and promoting research into a group of diseases—neurodegenerative and neuromuscular—that have a profound impact on the quality of life of those affected and their surroundings, as they are one of the leading causes of loss of autonomy and dependency in Catalonia and worldwide. La Marató 2026 will mobilize Catalan society to promote new challenges in the research of one of the most important and complex systems of the human body, the neurological system, as well as the need to care for caregivers, a key element in supporting and assisting these patients.

Neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases affect millions of people worldwide, with more than 600 recognized conditions. It is estimated that in Catalonia they affect around 250,000 people, with a mortality rate of nearly 30,000 people in 2025. This group of conditions consists of disorders that affect the brain and the nervous system and cause a progressive loss of neurons. This means that, over time, essential functions such as memory, movement, language, and the ability to think and plan gradually deteriorate.

Among the main neurodegenerative diseases are more common conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis, as well as less common ones such as atypical parkinsonisms or Huntington's disease. All of them are characterized by chronicity and progressive development. These diseases generally cause impairments in many daily activities and motor functions, such as balance, mobility, speech, breathing, and cardiac function. They also affect important cognitive processes such as memory, attention, and decision-making ability, as well as emotional expression. These aspects are so vital to human life that they lead to highly devastating effects and significant suffering.

The risk of being affected by one of these diseases increases in children, adolescents, adults, and older people, in the latter case due to increased life expectancy.

Neuromuscular diseases

Neuromuscular diseases encompass a group of more than 150 conditions, all of which share an impact on voluntary muscles and the nervous system. They can be genetic—when they result from a mutation in genes—or acquired, and they affect people of all ages, although more than 50% of patients experience onset in childhood. Given their prevalence, most neuromuscular diseases are considered rare diseases, as they affect fewer than one person per 2,000. It is estimated that in Catalonia around 44,000 people are affected by one of these conditions, with a mortality rate of nearly 1,400 people in 2025.

Within the group of neuromuscular diseases are Duchenne muscular dystrophy, myasthenia gravis, spinal muscular atrophy, muscular dystrophies, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and hereditary neuropathies, among many others.

Neuromuscular diseases involve an alteration of the nerves that send sensory information from the muscles to the brain. In these diseases, the death of motor neurons is observed, leading to a disconnection between nerves and muscles and, therefore, a loss of communication between them. The result of this lack of communication is weakening and wasting of the muscles, known as atrophy. As with neurodegenerative diseases, these are chronic conditions and, in a high percentage of cases, degenerative, which can lead to varying degrees of disability, loss of personal autonomy, dependency, and psychosocial needs, depending on the disease and its severity. In general, people affected by these diseases require assistance with basic daily activities, leading to significant dependency, especially as the disease progresses. Unfortunately, most neuromuscular diseases are progressive and have no cure.

The need for research in both groups of neurological diseases

After decades of research, many of the biological and/or environmental mechanisms that contribute to the development of the main neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases remain unknown. As a result, most of these diseases are still incurable. Current treatments are aimed at alleviating symptoms through medication, physiotherapy, and, when necessary, surgery. The prognosis therefore depends on the specific disease and its severity. For this reason, therapeutic objectives are focused on preventing or delaying onset, and on extending patients' survival and quality of life.

Scientific advances have opened the path toward cellular regeneration through stem cells, something that seemed unthinkable just a few years ago. This discovery, together with the development of new stem cell therapies, opens up new opportunities for future treatments that could potentially reverse the progression of these diseases.

On December 13, La Marató de 3Cat will celebrate the 35th edition of a solidarity program that, thanks to exceptional support from society, has raised €267.2 million since 1992 (a figure that is still provisional until March 31, when donations for La Marató 2025 will close) and has funded 1,084 research projects carried out by 1,822 research teams, involving 11,791 researchers. This makes La Marató one of the main driving forces behind research in Catalonia and a powerful platform for social awareness and scientific outreach, with international recognition.