The University of Navarra will host on July 2 and 3 the I International Solidarity Chess Tournament, a meeting in favor of the research of Alzheimer's disease organized by the research center Applied Medical (CIMA), in partnership with the association of relatives of Alzheimer's patients of Navarra (AFAN), the Spanish Chess Federation, the Obra Social "la Caixa" and the Caja Navarra Foundation.

"financial aid a tu report, dale jaque mate al alzhéimer" is the motto of this tournament aimed at all audiences and with a family character, since the categories include players from 5 years old onwards. According to Mariano de Pablos, manager of project and director of the tournament, "Pamplona is going to celebrate a great chess party. We expect the participation of more than 500 fans, since it is the most important solidarity tournament organized in Europe and all for a good cause: the research of such a devastating disease for patients and families as Alzheimer's disease".

The event is supported by sports clubs such as Oberena, Orvina, San Juan, Ansoáin, Mikel Gurea and Alfaro, among others. At the regional level, in addition to the Navarre federation, the Basque, Riojan, Cantabrian, Aragonese and Valencian federations are also contributing, mainly. In addition to the Spanish federation, international federations such as those of France, England and Wales are also taking part.

In turn, the tournament is sponsored and supported by other companies and organizations such as Volkswagen Navarra, Caramelos El Caserío de Tafalla, Canal Cero, Zabala Innovation Consulting, Tallunce, PLM, Centro Estética Yolanda Herrera, Tantaka, Regimiento "América 66", the Miravalles-El Redín and San Cernin schools, the Government of Navarra and the Pamplona City Council.

Anyone interested in registering and learning more about the event can access the website www.jaquematealalzheimer.com/.

Advances in Alzheimer's research

Alzheimer's disease is a neurological disorder that causes the death of nerve cells in the brain. It is the leading cause of dementia and is suffered by around 31 million people in the world, 3.5 million of them in Europe and 400,000 in Spain. In Navarra there are more than 9,000 sufferers.

There are currently no effective treatments for Alzheimer's disease. For this reason, the Neurosciences Program at CIMA investigates the cellular and molecular instructions of the cognitive deterioration caused by this disease. Its goal is to identify new therapeutic targets and develop pharmacological or gene therapy treatments to slow or halt the progression of Alzheimer's disease.