Scientific Program

Conference Series Ltd invites all the participants across the globe to attend World Neuron Congress Helsinki, Finland.

Day 1 :

Keynote Forum

Sarwar Jamil Siddiqui

The Aga Khan University, Pakistan

Keynote: Global Neurology

Time : 10.00-11.00

Conference Series Neuron 2018 International Conference Keynote Speaker Sarwar Jamil Siddiqui photo
Biography:

Dr Siddiqui graduated from Dow Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan in 1985.  He trained in General Medicine and Neurology at St Margaret’s Hospital, Epping, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow and St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, England. He is also a member of American Academy of Neurology. Dr Siddiqui is Dean, Faculty of Neurology at the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Pakistan and is responsible for Neurology Postgraduate Training in the whole country which includes 24 training centers. This is his 4th consecutive tenure as Dean.  He is also Chairman of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Pakistan Medical Association. His interests include General Neurology, Movement Disorder and Parkinson’s disease and Neurology Education and Training. He has a passion for music and travelling.

Abstract:

The current population on this planet is 7.66 billion. This figure is projected to be 8.55 billion by 2030. Low and middle income group countries suffer the double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases and yet less than 8% of GDP is spent on health in these countries. Two thirds of the neurological disease burden occurs in the developing world. According to the WHO, neurologic disorders account for 11% of all of the world's premature deaths and years lived with disability. Stroke accounts for approximately 10% of deaths worldwide with 85% of stroke occurring in low-income and middle-income countries.  About 70% of African countries have 4 or fewer neurologists in the country. Situation is not very different in Southeast Asia, for example Afghanistan has only one trained neurologist. This disparity in available resources and disease burden is highlighted in this talk. Unless this disparity is addressed now we cannot hope to improve health status of this planet as a whole. Three areas deserve special attention: disease burden on clinical services, Neurology education and training and neurology research in the low and middle income countries. There are many organizations and interest groups working to address this gap in the healthcare but neurological fraternity is not prominently visible on the map of global health initiative. The idea behind choosing this topic as a keynote speech is to initiate and support broad-based global efforts for the prevention and treatment of neurologic disorders; to improve neurology education and training by developing and supporting initiatives to build local capacity for neurological training, and to promote and enhance meaningful research in low and middle income countries. In addition to highlighting the magnitude of the problem this talk includes acknowledging the efforts being made to improve the situation by various interest groups and the way forward in order to achieving equity in health for all people worldwide.

Break: 11.00-11.30 Networking and Refreshments Break with Group Photo @ Foyer

Keynote Forum

Sarwar Jamil Siddiqui

The Aga Khan University, Pakistan

Keynote: Global Neurology

Time : 234

Conference Series Neuron 2018 International Conference Keynote Speaker Sarwar Jamil Siddiqui photo
Biography:

Dr Siddiqui graduated from Dow Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan in 1985.  He trained in General Medicine and Neurology at St Margaret’s Hospital, Epping, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow and St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, England. He is also a member of American Academy of Neurology. Dr Siddiqui is Dean, Faculty of Neurology at the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Pakistan and is responsible for Neurology Postgraduate Training in the whole country which includes 24 training centers. This is his 4th consecutive tenure as Dean.  He is also Chairman of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Pakistan Medical Association. His interests include General Neurology, Movement Disorder and Parkinson’s disease and Neurology Education and Training. He has a passion for music and travelling.

Abstract:

The current population on this planet is 7.66 billion. This figure is projected to be 8.55 billion by 2030. Low and middle income group countries suffer the double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases and yet less than 8% of GDP is spent on health in these countries. Two thirds of the neurological disease burden occurs in the developing world. According to the WHO, neurologic disorders account for 11% of all of the world's premature deaths and years lived with disability. Stroke accounts for approximately 10% of deaths worldwide with 85% of stroke occurring in low-income and middle-income countries.  About 70% of African countries have 4 or fewer neurologists in the country. Situation is not very different in Southeast Asia, for example Afghanistan has only one trained neurologist. This disparity in available resources and disease burden is highlighted in this talk. Unless this disparity is addressed now we cannot hope to improve health status of this planet as a whole. Three areas deserve special attention: disease burden on clinical services, Neurology education and training and neurology research in the low and middle income countries. There are many organizations and interest groups working to address this gap in the healthcare but neurological fraternity is not prominently visible on the map of global health initiative. The idea behind choosing this topic as a keynote speech is to initiate and support broad-based global efforts for the prevention and treatment of neurologic disorders; to improve neurology education and training by developing and supporting initiatives to build local capacity for neurological training, and to promote and enhance meaningful research in low and middle income countries. In addition to highlighting the magnitude of the problem this talk includes acknowledging the efforts being made to improve the situation by various interest groups and the way forward in order to achieving equity in health for all people worldwide.

Break: 11.00-11.30 Networking and Refreshments Break with Group Photo @ Foyer
  • Neurology | Neuroimaging | Neurosurgery | Neurophysiology | Neurochemistry | Neuropsychiatry and Mental Health | Neurological Disorders | Developmental Neurology
Location: Conference Hall
Speaker

Chair

Sarwar Jamil Siddiqui

The Aga Khan University, Pakistan

Biography:

Mohammad Ghadirivasfi was graduated in psychiatry from Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Iran. He was the head of Iran Mental Hospital for 13 years and achieved years of experience in research, teaching and administration in hospital and during this period, his effort was highly effective to establish Iranian DNA Bank for Genetic and Epigenetic Studies in Psychiatric Disorders. He is interested in improving education of medical student and residency in psychiatry. He has academic publications and is one of the authors of the Iranian curriculum of general psychiatry, addiction and risky behavior fellowship and the sleep textbook (in Persian) sponsored by IUMS (Iran University of Medical Sciences). He was the secretary of 5th Basic and clinical Neuroscience Congress in 2016 Tehran, Iran.

Abstract:

rTMS, a non-invasive technique for stimulation of neuronal cells, is one of the most promising tools for brain stimulation
and modulation and reversibly affect brain cortical activity and plasticity. Although rTMS has been used to treat a variety of
neuropsychiatric disorders, several lines of evidence suggest that rTMS has a potential efficacy to reduce cue-induced craving
in drug addiction. In this study, we employed real and sham rTMS of the Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and the left dorsolateral
prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) to compare and test if it could reduce cue-induced craving for methamphetamine (MA) after
the end of intervention and six month follow up. Thirty eligible MA-addicted patients were recruited to receive 10 sessions
of 20min sham or 10Hz rTMS to the left OFC and DLPFC. Subjects rated their craving at baseline, after exposed to MAassociated
cues and after rTMS sessions. They were followed after six months for the rate of relapse and adherence. Relative
decrease in severity of depression was greater in OFC group, however Kruskal-Walis test showed non-significant differences
among groups (p=0.097). Also, relative changes in psychopathology severity according to the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale,
and relative changes in craving were not statistically different among groups (p=0.350 and p=0.905, respectively) This study
failed to show any efficacy of dorsolateral or orbitofrontal rTMS in comparison with sham rTMS in reducing psychopathology
or craving of the methamphetamine dependent patients.

Biography:

Nataliia O Melnyk - the Professor of the Histology and Embryology Department of National O.O.Bogomolets Medical University, the Main Scientist in the Institute
of Genetic and Regenerative Medicine National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv. Graduated from Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University in
1993, after an assignment she worked as an engineer in the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics. During 2008- 2011, she worked as Deputy Head of the
Department of Education and Methodology of the National O.O. Bogomolets Medical University. She has more than 340 scientific and methodological works, 5
patents of scientific research. Nataliia Melnyk was edited base textbook of Histology, Cytology and Embryology for students of medical universities in Ukraine.

Abstract:

In experimental work was investigating morphological changers of neurons in organs of central nervous system (CNS) in
different experimental models of demyelination and remyelination. After induction of demyelination - EAE (experimental
allergic encephalomyelitis) - in rats, was investigate of changers of neurons in cortex of cerebrum, cerebellum and spinal
cord on 21 days and 39 days. We observed the percentage of neurons with unmodified, moderate and severe structural
changes after staining of histological sections of the brain and spinal cord by toluidine blue and cresyl violet. We studied of
demyelination process of nervous fibers in organs of CNS by the methods of electron microscopy and morphometry. We
observed of remyelination process - the percentage of normal neurons in the brain and spinal cord was increased, the amounts
of neurons with severe and destructive changes were reduce after influence of Rebif® (interferon beta-1a) by 1 and 2 weeks, and
myelinated nerve fibers was regenerate. After induction of demyelination - cuprizone model - in the 129/Sv mice, at 3-5 and 16-
17 months of age we observed changers in structure of neurons and nerve fibers. Cuprizone was provide daily for 3 weeks, in
result, was form demyelination process in CNS. RhLIF was inject after 7-days cuprizone diet, one administration daily, 50 μg/
kg, the hormone of melatonin was provide daily. In the cuprizone-treated mice of both age groups, the percentage of neurons
with severe changes in the brain and spinal cord was increased and after rhLIF and melatonin, the amounts of neurons with
destructive changes were reduce, was less pronounce in aged mice. RhLIF and melatonin may be a perspective neuroprotective drugs.

Break: Lunch break 12.30-13.30 @ Restaurant
Biography:

Sarwar Jamil Siddiqui is graduated from Dow Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan in 1985. He trained in General Medicine and Neurology at St Margaret’s Hospital,
Epping, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow and St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, England. He is also a member of American Academy of Neurology. He is
Dean, Faculty of Neurology at the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Pakistan and is responsible for Neurology Postgraduate Training in the whole country which
includes 24 training centers. This is his 4th consecutive tenure as Dean. He is also Chairman of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Pakistan Medical Association
His interests include General Neurology, Movement Disorder and Parkinson’s disease and Neurology Education and Training.

Abstract:

Pakistan is a developing country in Southeast Asia with a population of 210 million. There are about 210 practicing neurologist
in the country at present. Neurology as a specialty in Pakistan started in 1963. To start off with there were 5 neurologists,
all British trained from 1963-1969. Then more neurologists returned from abroad, especially after 1992, mainly trained in the
UK and USA. Intrinsic neurology training program started in 1990 by the College of Physicians & Surgeons, Pakistan. The first
Pakistani trained neurologist qualified in 1995. Since then the College has trained 202 neurologists to date who qualified FCPS
(Neurology) Examination after a 5-year structured training program. About 45 specialists trained in Pakistan are working
in the Middle East, UK and Canada. At present there are 21 approved neurology training centers and 24 approved training
supervisors in the country where over 120 postgraduates are undergoing training. The training includes 2 years in Internal
Medicine followed by a 3-year specialty training in Neurology. In addition to above, universities offer postgraduates programs
in Neurology namely, Diploma in Clinical Neurology (one year program) and MD (Neurology) which is a 3-year training
program in Clinical Neurology. There is a sizeable research contribution in the field of Neurology from Pakistan. The number
of research papers published in peer-reviewed journals from Pakistan was over 140 in 2017 alone.

Speaker
Biography:

Shlomi Hanassy is the owner and establisher of Hanassy R&D Ltd. IL. Shlomi is an algorithm developer and neurobiologist specialized in motor control and vision processing. He is also an inventor and experienced developer of several innovations in those fields. In 2011-2012 he worked as algorithm developer at Wellsens tech (http://www.wellsense-tech.com/), developing algorithms for pressure mat while serving as a consultant for the EU “Stiff-flop” project (http://www.stiff-flop.eu/). During 2007-2010 he was a Phd student and algorithm developer of visual substitution devises at Amir Amedi’s lab for higher brain functions while serving as a coworker in Benny Hochner’s lab for motor control and at the EU “Octopus project”(http://www.octopusproject.eu/). Since 2007 Shlomi is holding an M.sc in medical neurobiology from the Hebrew University (Hadassah Ein Carem medical school) and a B.A in computer science and administration from the Open University of Israel (since 2003).

Abstract:

Octopuses where always a fascinating animals with their spectacular line of
unique features. Here will review many of those features focusing on the
arm motor control. Similar to tongue and the elephant trunk, the octopus arm
is a muscle hydrostat, hyper-redundant, structure. The computational process
involved in the generation of a movement in such structure is a highlight
for motor control engineers. During that process, a reduction of the motor
control problem complexity is obtained by reducing degrees of freedom,
using stereotypical motor primitives, which are simply modulated instead of
calculated, to achieve the required movement. That principle inspired many
robotic engineers to achieve new kind of control: embedded intelligence. Here
we will present some results of such bio-robotic engineering and novel applications.

Break: 15.30-16.00 Networking and Refreshments Break @ Foyer
Biography:

Diana G Rotaru is currently a PhD student in the Neuroimaging Department at Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and
Neuroscience, King’s College London. She completed her BSc at the Faculty of Medical Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest with a thesis focused
on EEG seizure detection using artificial intelligence. Later, her research interests turned to neuroimaging and she graduated with an MSc in Neuroimaging. She
decided to continue her dissertation project and she is working now on Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy method development aiming to provide the tools
necessary for precise and direct measurement of low concentration neuro-metabolites on clinical and preclinical moderate-to-high-field MRI scanners.

Abstract:

As the non-invasive evaluation of brain metabolism is considered an important factor in the understanding of neurological
and psychiatric disorders (Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, epilepsy, schizophrenia, autism, ADHD, psychosis,
bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, etc.) more interest has been given to Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS).
Based on recent work on spectral editing schemes, discrimination and quantification of otherwise unresolvable neurometabolites
like GABA (Gamma-Amino butyric Acid, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter) and GSH (glutathione, an
antioxidant found throughout the brain) becomes possible. The purpose of our study was to test if HERMES (Hadamard
Encoding and Reconstruction of MEGA-Edited Spectroscopy) could be used to discriminate between GABA and GSH. A
comparison with standard methods (MEGA-PRESS - MEshcher-GArwood Point REsolved Spectroscopy) and test-retest
reproducibility were also considered. A special proton MRS (1H-MRS) acquisition protocol was implemented on our 3T
MR750 General Electric scanner. The HERMES pulse sequence was then tested in phantom and in vivo experiments, for the
latter, a voxel in the dorso-medial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) being prescribed. For the measurement of the edited signal,
two software packages were used: LC Model, along with FID-A pre- processing and Gannet, which currently can be used
without any additional pre-processing steps. The acquisition results showed that spectral editing was successfully performed,
with GABA and GSH being edited correctly considering the spectral appearance and the concentration values. Regarding
the analysis methods, LC Model and Gannet were both suitable for HERMES data sets. The test-retest reliability was assessed
based on the concentration values we obtained and suggests there was a strong consistency between test-retest results for
the same method of analysis. The advantages of the HERMES pulse sequence over conventional MR protocols include time
efficiency, high-quality results and cost- effectiveness. As such, with HERMES we were able to obtain GABA and GSH spectra
simultaneously in one scanning session no longer than 12 minutes, while the time required when using MEGAPRESS for the
both GABA&GSH is double, one session of 12 minutes being necessary for each metabolite. The long-term benefits of using
HERMES include the development of a reliable tool for neuroimaging research along with improved healthcare solutions
(patient stratification, early disease detection, accurate diagnosis, treatment tracking and drug therapy evaluation).

Biography:

Rahul Srinivasan is pre final resident in Neurosurgery department at Medical Trust Hospital Kochi, Kerala. He is also member of Cochin neurological society and
neurological society of India. He has co authored various articles in field of neurotrauma. Last article related to ICP monitoring was published in Acta Neurochirugica
in 2018. During his post graduation he has assisted multiple cranial, spinal surgeries and endovascular procedure. He has won best poster award at PULSUS
Conference at Singapore conducted in September 2018. His current research also continues in field of Neuro trauma.

Abstract:

Perimedullary AV fistula is not common disease. Here we present a case of 11-year-old boy who presented with sudden
onset severe headache and neck pain for 1 day. He was having similar episodes in the past and treated as migraine. Imaging
revealed SAH in posterior fossa and cervical subarachnoid space. There were multiple flow voids around lower cervical cord
suggesting vascular malformation. Patient underwent spinal and brain DSA, which revealed diagnosis of single hole single
feeder cervical perimedullary AVF with feeding artery aneurysm as a cause of SAH. He was treated by endovascular means
with 5 month imaging follow up.

Break: Panel Discussion