Translational visual neuroscience
We develop vision-based biomarkers and research tools — from retinal imaging to eye-tracking and digital visual testing — turning the eye into a window on neurodegeneration.
BegiBrainLab is the Visual Pathway Laboratory of the Neurodegenerative Diseases Group at Biobizkaia Health Research Institute.
BegiBrainLab is coordinated by Dr. Iñigo Gabilondo and brings together clinical neurology, optometry, neuropsychology, biomedical engineering, image analysis, artificial intelligence, virtual reality and digital health.
Neurologist and Ikerbasque Research Associate Professor at IIS Biobizkaia. Coordinator of BegiBrainLab, focused on visual biomarkers, retinal imaging, neuroimaging and digital technologies in neurodegenerative diseases.
Neuroscience researcher, optometrist and data scientist specialised in retinal biomarkers, visual dysfunction, autonomic features and clinical progression in Parkinson’s disease and related neurodegenerative disorders.
Optometrist with clinical experience in visual assessment, retinal screening using OCT, contactology, low vision and visual therapy.
Psychologist and clinical neuropsychologist with experience in cognitive assessment, dementia, neuropsychological testing, cognitive stimulation and clinical data analysis.
Computer engineer specialised in videogame development, virtual reality and augmented reality. He develops VR-based visual tests for early detection of neurodegenerative diseases.
Engineer with a background in electronics, computer science and intelligent systems. His work focuses on computer-based visual assessment, eye-tracking and early detection of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
BegiBrainLab is built around longitudinal clinical cohorts and funded research programmes that support the study of visual biomarkers, retinal and brain imaging, functional vision and disease progression in neurodegenerative diseases.
ISCIII-FIS · 2026–2028
A multimodal research project focused on visual impairment in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, integrating OCT/OCT-A, MRI, cognition, blood biomarkers and digital visual assessment. The project will also support the clinical validation of BegiBrainTool.
Alzheimer’s disease · prospective cohort
A prospective Alzheimer’s disease project and cohort including approximately 70 patients with Alzheimer’s disease and 60 controls, with baseline, year 1 and year 2 visits including visual function, cognition, blood-based Alzheimer’s biomarkers, OCT and eye-tracking.
Parkinson’s disease · prospective cohort
A prospective Parkinson’s disease project and cohort including approximately 100 patients with Parkinson’s disease and 70 controls, with baseline, year 1 and year 2 visits including OCT, visual function and neuropsychological assessment.
Parkinson’s disease · longitudinal cohort
A longitudinal Parkinson’s disease cohort initiated in 2015 and supported by MJFF, ISCIII and Basque Government Health Department funding, including approximately 60 patients with Parkinson’s disease and 50 controls assessed at baseline, year 3 and year 5 with MRI, OCT, neuropsychology and UPDRS.
The lab’s scientific output includes work in neurodegeneration, retinal imaging, MRI, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, visual function and digital biomarkers.
BegiBrainLab develops digital tools and software platforms for visual assessment, retinal image analysis and immersive functional evaluation in neurodegenerative diseases.
A digital platform for visual function, psychophysics and eye-tracking assessment. Its initial development was funded within the Elkartek SIBURMUIN project, continued afterwards as an internal lab development, and will now be clinically validated within the VISUAL-ADPD project.
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OCT image analysis software developed in collaboration with Mondragon Unibertsitatea, promoted by two successive three-year Potenciación calls from the Basque Government Health Department. This line also supported the creation of a retinal OCT database of approximately 400 healthy controls.
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An XR software development project for functional assessment and stimulation in early Alzheimer’s disease, initially funded by the Basque Government MedTech programme.
BegiBrainLab maintains secure multimodal research data resources derived from its longitudinal cohorts and visual neuroscience projects. These resources include structured clinical, cognitive, visual, retinal imaging, MRI, eye-tracking and blood biomarker data. Access is restricted to approved scientific collaborations.
Structured cohort data are available from BegiAlz, BegiPark and the MJFF Parkinson’s cohort, including demographic variables, clinical scales, cognitive assessments, visual function measures and longitudinal follow-up.
BegiAlz includes approximately 70 Alzheimer’s disease patients and 60 controls; BegiPark includes approximately 100 Parkinson’s disease patients and 70 controls; and the MJFF cohort includes approximately 60 Parkinson’s disease patients and 50 controls.
The retinal imaging repositories include OCT and OCT-angiography data acquired across BegiBrainLab cohorts and research protocols.
The RetiMAT and Basque Government Potenciación line also supported the creation of a retinal OCT database of approximately 400 healthy controls.
Depending on the cohort, available data include MRI, OCT, visual function, neuropsychology, UPDRS, eye-tracking and blood-based Alzheimer’s biomarkers.
Access is granted only for approved research collaborations and under applicable ethical, legal and data protection requirements.
Access pendingIn the future, volunteers will be able to contribute to population-based visual and psychophysical studies through online tests. This section will include study information, consent workflows and secure data collection procedures.
BegiBrainLab · Neurodegenerative Diseases Group · Nervous System Diseases Area · IIS Biobizkaia / University Hospital of Cruces · Barakaldo, Basque Country, Spain.
Email: contact@begibrainlab.com