World Neurology: August-September issue now available online

A Call for Articles for World Neurology from Young Neurologists Worldwide

In this issue's President's Column, WFN President Prof. Wolfgang Grisold provides updates on several ongoing activities, including the upcoming Council of Delegates (COD) meeting in September, the recent success of World Brain Day 2024, the introduction of the WHO IGAP toolkit, the upcoming World Federation of Neurology (WFN) Digital Neurology Updates (WNU) 2024 (an important educational initiative also planned for September), as well as many other ongoing global initiatives.

Dr. Mohammad Wasay and Dr. Safa Younis provide an up-to-date summary on central nervous system tuberculosis (CNS-TB), which continues to be a global problem. Dr. Gagandeep Singh provides a report on the highly prestigious Padma Shri, which was recently awarded by the president of India to Dr. Chandrashekhar Meshram, WFN trustee. The editors send their congratulations to Dr. Meshram for this remarkable and so richly deserved honor. We thank him for his contributions to neurology in India and throughout the globe, and for his many contributions to World Neurology.

In this issue's History article, Dr. Peter Koehler provides his thought-provoking and well-illustrated report about a 17th century Dutch physician and the speculation surrounding a "renowned painter" whose treatment he described. Dr. Kevin Rostasy and Dr. Anna Jansen report on the activities of the European Paediatric Neurology Society (EPNS), raising the voice of the remarkably advancing field of pediatric neurology.

This issue also includes two thoughtful reports from recipients of WFN Junior Traveling Fellowships to attend the Fourth Congress of the African Academy of Neurology (AFAN), which was held in conjunction with the Fifth Congress of the Association Senegalese of Neurology (ASN), in July in Dakar, Senegal.

Dr. Olivia Begasse de Dhaem reports on the upcoming course, "Education in Headache to Health Care Professionals in Africa (EHHPA)," sponsored by the WFN, AFAN, the Global Patient Advocacy Coalition (GPAC), and the International Headache Society (IHS). The free course will take place virtually on Nov. 23, 2024, and registration is now open. Dr. László Vécsei provides an update about the ongoing activities of the International Danube Neurology Symposium for Neurological Sciences, including continuing education and international disease-based registries.

Prof. Renato Verdugo and Prof. Marco T. Medina report on the successful Latin American workshop on the Intersectoral Global Action Plan (IGAP) that took place in June in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The workshop was organized by the Chilean League Against Epilepsy and the Autonomous University of Honduras with the support of the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO).

This issue also includes an important reminder to all readers to register to attend the WFN WNU course occurring Sept. 26-27, 2024. We encourage all readers globally to attend!

Finally, we would like to remind and encourage all our younger readers from all regions of the globe, such as those neurologists in training or early in their careers, to consider contributing to World Neurology. We especially encourage contributions about programs and activities unique to your regions to inform our many thousands of readers worldwide. Please feel free to send any inquiries about possible articles to the editors. Email addresses can be found in the masthead on the left side of this page.

Thank you for your interest in the WFN and World Neurology. We look forward to continuing to share more details about upcoming activities for neurologists worldwide in future issues. •

By Steven L. Lewis, MD, Editor, and Walter Struhal, MD, Co-Editor

Download

Published by Ascend Integrated Media LLC, Kansas, USA

Highlights

President's Column

• Council of Delegates Meeting and More ⧉
  By Wolfgang Grisold

  For the World Ferderation of Neurology (WFN), the past months have been successful, and I want to update you on the upcoming Council of Delegates (COD) meeting, global activities, World Brain Day (WBD) 2024, education, and future meetings.

From WFN

• Get the Latest in Headache Treatment and Research ⧉
  By Dr Olivia Begasse De Dhaem

  The World Federation of Neurology (WFN), African Academy of Neurology (AFAN), Global Patient Advocacy Coalition (GPAC), and International Headache Society (IHS) announce the fourth Education in Headache to Healthcare Professionals in Africa (EHHPA) Symposium. It will take place virtually on Nov. 23, 2024. Registration is free and open to health care workers of all levels.

• World Brain Day in China ⧉

  On the occasion of World Brain Day (WBD) 2024, a brain health conference was held July 20-21, 2024, at the China National Convention Center in Beijing. The conference was centered on the theme of "World Brain Day 2024: Brain Health and Prevention." The goal was to enhance public awareness of brain health, foster scientific advancement in brain health, and prevent and treat significant neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Junior Travelling Fellowsip

• Reports of Attendance at the AFAN and ASN Congresses ⧉
  By Mahamadou Kotioumbeand Carlos Othon Guelngar

  Both of this issue's Junior Traveling Fellowship recipients attended the Fourth Congress of the African Academy of Neurology (AFAN), held in conjunction with the Fifth Congress of the Association Senegalese of Neurology (ASN), July 11-17, in Dakar, Senegal. Each brings their own perspective on what they saw and did during the meeting.

Around the World

• Dr. Chandrashekhar Meshram Recognized for Public Service ⧉
  By Gagandeep Singh

  This year, Dr. Chandrashekhar Meshram was presented with the Padma Shri Award. Dr. Meshram is a trustee of the World Federation of Neurology (WFN). The Padma Shri Award is one of the highest civilian honors in India.

• Central Nervous System Tuberculosis - Current status and future treatments ⧉
  By Mohammad Wasay, Md, Frcp, Faan, And Safa Younis, Mbbs

  Tuberculosis (TB) carries a huge burden around the globe. Approximately 25% of the global population is a carrier of the mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium. About 5%-10% of the individuals in that group will develop tuberculosis during their lifetime.

• European Paediatric Neurology Society - Raising the voice of pediatric neurology ⧉
  By Mohammad Wasay, Md, Frcp, Faan, And Safa Younis, Mbbsm

  Pediatric neurology is a discipline focused on diagnosis, comprehensive management, and research into diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system from fetal life to transition into adulthood. It is a field that has grown in the last half century and has recently seen leaps in innovation, including diagnostic methods, novel treatments including gene therapy, interventions, and research. It is vital that the significant burden of neurological diseases in childhood is addressed through research and education as these disorders have a lifelong impact on the individual, their careers, and society as a whole.

• Honduras Neurology/Psychiatry Clinic: Patient Satisfaction Survey ⧉|
  By Kaitlyn Alleman, Prof. Lawrence Robbins, Genesis Mejias, MD, Sofia Dubon, MdD And Nelson Betancourt, MD

  Medications and services can be costly and difficult to obtain for many Honduran patients. Our rural Honduras neurology and psychiatry clinic conducted a simple survey. The primary purpose of the survey was to assess patient satisfaction. We also asked the patient to rate the most important aspect of the clinic. We collected diagnoses and demographics.

• Multiple Sclerosis Surveys, Research, and Neurology News ⧉
  By Prof. László Vécsei

  The Symposium for Multiple Sclerosis (SMS), under the auspices of the International Danube Neurology Symposium for Neurological Sciences, has organized an international survey related to the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Registry in different countries. It includes approximately 107 million people.

• Expanding IGAP in Latin America ⧉
  By Prof. Renato Verdugo And Prof. Marco T. Medina

  The Intersectional Global Action Plan (IGAP) Latin American workshop took place June 13, 2024, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. IGAP is a worldwide plan to combat neurological diseases through 2031. It was launched by the WHO in 2022.

History

• Was it Rembrandt? A centuries-old mystery shrouds a renowned painter and his imagination ⧉
  By Peter J. Koehler

  The Dutch physician and mayor of Amsterdam Nicolaes Tulp (1593- 1674) is known for being depicted in the 1632 painting The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp by Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669). The criminal Aris't Kint, the person on whom an autopsy is performed in the painting, was sentenced to "punishment with the cord," which was carried out on Jan. 31 of that year. His corpse was made available to the Amsterdam surgeons' guild, of which Tulp was praelector anatomiae, a term the guild used for anatomy instructors. Tulp had already been in contact several times with the 26-year-old Rembrandt to discuss a painting of an anatomy lesson. In his composition, Rembrandt broke with the traditions of the group portrait for the time..