Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante -

Group leader

Directora - Catedrático UMH

Phone 965 91 9532 - Lab 233

Email juana.gallar@umh.es

Group

Ocular neurobiology
https://in.umh-csic.es/group3895

Programs

Projects

Articles

Age Impairs Corneal Sensitivity and Reflex Tearing in Congenital Aniridia. Acosta MC, Náray A, Csidey M, Maka E, Nagy ZZ, Jávorszky E, Zobor D, Tory K, Cortón M, Kovács I, Gallar J & Szentmáry N. Cornea 2026 https://doi.org/10.1097/ico.0000000000004117
CORONIS symposium 2023: Scientific and clinical frontiers in ocular surface innervation. Anat Galor, Juana Gallar, M. Carmen Acosta, Víctor Meseguer, José Manuel Benítez-Del-Castillo, Oliver Stachs, Nóra Szentmáry, Piera Versura, Wolfgang G. K. Müller-Lierheim, Carlos Belmonte, Jesús Pujol-Martí. Acta Ophthalmologica. 2025 103(4): e240-e255 https://doi.org/10.1111/aos.17450
Optochemical modulation of corneal cold nerve terminal impulse activity with a photochromic ion channel blocker. Ares-Suárez, D., Iñigo-Portugués, A., Velasco, E., Quirce, S., Aleixandre-Carrera, F., Díaz-Tahoces, A., Acosta, M. C., Lin, W.-C., Kramer, R. H., Belmonte, C., Gallar, J., & Meseguer, V. British Journal of Pharmacology. 2025 1-15 https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.70189
Ocular surface information seen from the somatosensory thalamus and cortex. Velasco E, Zaforas M, Acosta MC, Gallar J and Aguilar J. The Journal of Physiology. 2024 602(7): 1405-1426 https://doi.org/10.1113/jp285008
Action potential firing and sensory transduction are sustained by membrane potential instabilities in peripheral sensory neurons. Enrique Velasco Serna, Julio Alvarez, Víctor M. Meseguer Vigueras, Juana Gallar, Karel Talavera Biophysical J. 2023 122 (3), supplement 1, 417A (Abstract) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2022.11.2262
Cyclosporine A Decreases Dryness-Induced Hyperexcitability of Corneal Cold-Sensitive Nerve Terminals. Andrea Gyenes , Zsófia Tapasztó , Susana Quirce , Carolina Luna , Laura Frutos-Rincón , Juana Gallar , M. Carmen Acosta and Illés Kovács Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023 24(16), 13025 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241613025
Effects of physical activity/exercise on tear film characteristics and dry eye associated symptoms: A literature review. Sergio Navarro-Lopez, Manuel Moya-Ramón , Juana Gallar, Gonzalo Carracedo , Adolfo Aracil-Marco Contact Lens and Anterior Eye. 2023 46(4): 101854 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clae.2023.101854
Functional Changes of the Ocular Surface Sensory Nerves Due to Contact Lens Use in Young Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Users. José Ángel Pastor-Zaplana; Juana Gallar; M. Carmen Acosta Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. 2023 Vol. 64, 12 https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.64.14.12
Maximal tear secretion evoked by controlled stimulation of corneal sensory nerves in healthy individuals and dry eye subjects. Merino ML, Belmonte J, Rosas J, Acosta MC., Gallar J., Belmonte C. The Ocular Surface. 2023 27: 80-88 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtos.2022.11.005
The Contribution of TRPA1 to Corneal Thermosensitivity and Blink Regulation in Young and Aged Mice. Laura Frutos-Rincón , Carolina Luna , Fernando Aleixandre-Carrera , Enrique Velasco , Ariadna Diaz-Tahoces , Víctor Meseguer , Juana Gallar and M. Carmen Acosta. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023 24(16), 12620 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241612620
A genetic compensatory mechanism regulated by Jun and Mef2d modulates the expression of distinct class IIa Hdacs to ensure peripheral nerve myelination and repair Velasco-Aviles S, Patel N, Casillas-Bajo A, Frutos-Rincón L, Velasco E, Gallar J, Arthur-Farraj P, Gomez-Sanchez JA, Cabedo H eLife 2022 11:e72917 https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.72917
An Experimental Model of Neuro-Immune Interactions in the Eye: Corneal Sensory Nerves and Resident Dendritic Cells. Frutos-Rincón L, Gómez-Sánchez JA, Íñigo-Portugués A, Acosta MC, Gallar J. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 23(6): art 2997 - Review https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23062997
Editorial: Eye Pain: Etiology and Therapeutic Approaches Rusciano D., Bagnoli P., Gallar J., Galor A. Front Pharmacol. 2022 13: 914809 https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.914809
Epithelial and sensory mechanisms of nasal hyperreactivity. Velasco E, Delicado-Miralles M, Hellings PW, Gallar J, Van Gerven L, Talavera K. Allergy: Eur J Allergy and Clin Immunology. 2022 77(5): 1450-1463 - Review https://doi.org/10.1111/all.15259
Membrane potential instabilities in sensory neurons: mechanisms and pathophysiological relevance. Velasco E, Alvarez JL, Meseguer VM, Gallar J, Talavera K. Pain. 2022 163(1): 64-74 - Review https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002289
OSDI Questions on Daily Life Activities Allow to Detect Subclinical Dry Eye in Young Contact Lens Users. Pastor-Zaplana JA, Borras F, Gallar J, Acosta MC. J Clin Med. 2022 11(9): 2626 https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11092626
Small fiber neuropathy in the cornea of Covid-19 patients associated with the generation of ocular surface disease. Barros A, Queiruga-Piñeiro J, Lozano-Sanroma J, Alcalde I, Gallar J, Fernández-Vega Cueto L, Alfonso JF, Quirós LM, Merayo-Lloves J Ocul Surf. 2022 23: 40-48 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtos.2021.10.010
Deciphering the Action of Perfluorohexyloctane Eye Drops to Reduce Ocular Discomfort and Pain Delicado-Miralles M, Velasco E, Díaz-Tahoces A, Gallar J, Acosta MC, Aracil-Marco A Front Med (Lausanne) 2021 8:709712 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2021.709712
Optical Assessment of Nociceptive TRP Channel Function at the Peripheral Nerve Terminal. Aleixandre-Carrera F, Engelmayer N, Ares-Suarez D, Acosta MC, Belmonte C, Gallar J, Meseguer V, Binshtok AM Int J Mol Sci 2021 22(2):481 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22020481
Sodium Channel Blockers Modulate Abnormal Activity of Regenerating Nociceptive Corneal Nerves After Surgical Lesion Luna C, Mizerska K, Quirce S, Belmonte C, Gallar J, Acosta MC, Meseguer V Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2021 62(1):2 https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.62.1.2
Unilateral Corneal Insult Also Alters Sensory Nerve Activity in the Contralateral Eye Luna C, Quirce S, Aracil-Marco A, Belmonte C, Gallar J, Acosta MC Front Med 2021 8:767967 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2021.767967
Topical treatment with a mu opioid receptor agonist alleviates corneal allodynia and corneal nerve sensitization in mice Joubert F, Guerrero-Moreno A, Fakih D, Reboussin E, Gaveriaux-Ruff C, Acosta MC, Gallar J, Sahel JA, Bodineau L, Baudouin C, Rostène W, Mélik-Parsadaniantz S, Réaux-Le Goazigo A Biomed Pharmacother 2020 132:110794 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110794
Effects of corneal injury on ciliary nerve fibre activity and corneal nociception in mice: A behavioural and electrophysiological study Joubert F, Acosta MDC, Gallar J, Fakih D, Sahel JA, Baudouin C, Bodineau L, Mélik Parsadaniantz S, Réaux-Le Goazigo A European Journal of Pain (UK) 2019 23(3):589 https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.1332
Functional and Morphologic Alterations in Mechanical, Polymodal, and Cold Sensory Nerve Fibers of the Cornea Following Photorefractive Keratectomy Bech F, González-González O, Artime E, Serrano J, Alcalde I, Gallar J, Merayo-Lloves J, Belmonte C Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2018 59(6):2281 https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.18-24007
Inhibitory Effect of Amitriptyline on the Impulse Activity of Cold Thermoreceptor Terminals of Intact and Tear-Deficient Guinea Pig Corneas Masuoka T, Gallar J, Belmonte C J Ocul Pharmacol Ther 2018 34(1-2):195 https://doi.org/10.1089/jop.2017.0066
Melanopsin expression in the cornea Delwig A, Chaney SY, Bertke AS, Verweij J, Quirce S, Larsen DD, Yang C, Buhr E, Van GR, Gallar J, Margolis T, Copenhagen DR Visual Neurosci 2018 35:e004 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0952523817000359
Morphological and functional changes in TRPM8-expressing corneal cold thermoreceptor neurons during aging and their impact on tearing in mice Alcalde I, Íñigo-Portugués A, González-González O, Almaraz L, Artime E, Morenilla-Palao C, Gallar J, Viana F, Merayo-Lloves J, Belmonte C J Comp Neurol 2018 526(11):1859 https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.24454
Functional Properties of Sensory Nerve Terminals of the Mouse Cornea Gonzalez-Gonzalez O, Bech F, Gallar J, Merayo-Lloves J, Belmonte C Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2017 58(1):404 https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.16-20033
TFOS DEWS II pain and sensation report Belmonte C, Nichols JJ, Cox SM, Brock JA, Begley CG, Bereiter DA, Dartt DA, Galor A, Hamrah P, Ivanusic JJ, Jacobs DS, McNamara NA, Rosenblatt MI, Stapleton F, Wolffsohn JS Ocul Surf 2017 15(3):404 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtos.2017.05.002
The Effect of Tear Supplementation with 015% Preservative-Free Zinc-Hyaluronate on Ocular Surface Sensations in Patients with Dry Eye Perenyi K, Dienes L, Kornafeld A, Kovacs B, Kiss HJ, Szepessy Z, Nagy ZZ, Barsi a, Acosta MC, Gallar J, Kovacs I J Ocul Pharmacol Ther 2017 33(6):487 https://doi.org/10.1089/jop.2016.0194
Abnormal activity of corneal cold thermoreceptors underlies the unpleasant sensations in dry eye disease Kovacs I, Luna C, Quirce S, Mizerska K, Callejo G, Riestra A, Fernandez-Sanchez L, Meseguer VM, Cuenca N, Merayo-Lloves J, Acosta MC, Gasull X, Belmonte C, Gallar J Pain 2016 157(2):399 https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000455
Lacosamide diminishes dryness-induced hyperexcitability of corneal cold sensitive nerve terminals Kovacs I, Dienes L, Perenyi K, Quirce S, Luna C, Mizerska K, Acosta MC, Belmonte C, Gallar J Eur J Pharmacol 2016 787:2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejphar.2016.05.044
Acid-sensing ion channels detect moderate acidifications to induce ocular pain Callejo G, Castellanos A, Castany M, Gual A, Luna C, Acosta MC, Gallar J, Giblin JP, Gasull X Pain 2015 156(3):483 https://doi.org/10.1097/01.j.pain.0000460335.49525.1-7
Corneal Sensitivity and Dry Eye Symptoms in Patients with Keratoconus Dienes L, Kiss HJ, Perenyi K, Nagy ZZ, Acosta MC, Gallar J, Kovacs I PLoS One 2015 10(10):e0141621 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0141621
The Effect of Tear Supplementation on Ocular Surface Sensations during the Interblink Interval in Patients with Dry Eye Dienes L, Kiss HJ, Perenyi K, Szepessy Z, Nagy ZZ, Barsi A, Acosta MC, Gallar J, Kovacs I PLoS One 2015 10(8):e0135629 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0135629
What Causes Eye Pain? Belmonte C, Acosta MC, Merayo-Lloves J, Gallar J Curr Ophthalmol Rep 2015 3(2):111 https://doi.org/10.1007/s40135-015-0073-9
Corneal Sensory Nerve Activity in an Experimental Model of UV Keratitis Acosta MC, Luna C, Quirce S, Belmonte C, Gallar J Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2014 55(6):3403 https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.13-13774
Preclinical pharmacology, ocular tolerability and ocular hypotensive efficacy of a novel non-peptide bradykinin mimetic small molecule Sharif NA, Li L, Katoli P, Xu S, Veltman J, Li B, Scott D, Wax M, Gallar J, Acosta C, Belmonte C Exp Eye Res 2014 128:170 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exer.2014.10.008
Tear fluid hyperosmolality increases nerve impulse activity of cold thermoreceptor endings of the cornea Parra A, Gonzalez-Gonzalez O, Gallar J, Belmonte C Pain 2014 155(8):1481 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2014.04.025
Changes in sensory activity of ocular surface sensory nerves during allergic keratoconjunctivitis Acosta MC, Luna C, Quirce S, Belmonte C, Gallar J Pain 2013 154(11):2353 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2013.07.012
The TFOS International Workshop on Contact Lens Discomfort: Report of the Subcommittee on Neurobiology Stapleton F,Marfurt C, Golebiowski B, Rosenblatt M, Bereiter D, Begley C, Dartt D, Gallar J, Belmonte C, Hamrah P, Willcox M Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2013 54(11):71 https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.13-13226
Regenerative Approaches as Alternatives to Donor Allografting for Restoration of Corneal Function Griffith M, Polisetti N, Kuffova L, Gallar J, Forrester J, Vemuganti G, Fuchsluger TA Ocul Surf 2012 10(3):170 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtos.2012.04.004.
Cold Thermoreceptors, Unexpected Players in Tear Production and Ocular Dryness Sensations Belmonte C, Gallar J Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2011 52(6):3888 https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.09-5119
Corneal Sensitivity in Diabetic Patients Subjected to Retinal Laser Photocoagulation Neira-Zalentein W, Holopainen JM, Tervo TM, Borras F, Acosta MC, Belmonte C, Gallar J Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2011 52(8):6043 https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.10-7054
Ocular surface wetness is regulated by TRPM8-dependent cold thermoreceptors of the cornea Parra A, Madrid R, Echevarria D, Del Olmo S, Morenilla-Palao C, Acosta MC, Gallar J, Dhaka A, Viana F, Belmonte C Nat Med 2010 16(12):1396 https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.2264
Regeneration of functional nerves within full thickness collagen-phosphorylcholine corneal substitute implants in guinea pigs McLaughlin CR, Acosta MC, Luna C, Liu W, Belmonte C, Griffith M, Gallar J Biomaterials 2010 31(10):2770 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2009.12.031
Selective Changes in Human Corneal Sensation Associated with Herpes Simplex Virus Keratitis Gallar J, Tervo T, Neira W, Holopainen JM, Lamberg ME, Miñana F, Acosta MC, Belmonte C Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2010 51(9):4516 https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.10-5225

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Juana Gallar Martínez

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