21^st World Congress on Neurology and Therapeutics March 15-17, 2018 London, UK

Biography:

Abstract:

Cdk5 is a proline directed serine/threonine kinase that is increasingly implicated in various nervous system functions, during nervous system development and survival. However, upon deregulation produces many neurodegenerative diseases including PD. Cdk5 is a member of cyclin-dependent kinases. Cdk5 is unique among its family; it is not activated by cyclins but is regulated exclusively by the brain-specific activator p35/p39. Cdk5 is a multifunctional kinase. Emerging evidence suggests that abnormal and hyper Cdk5 activity is implicated in the accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles in AD, synuclein in Lewy bodies in PD, and in inclusions of aberrant phosphorylation of tau and neurofilament proteins the hallmarks of ALS patients. Our recent studies have shown that a modified truncated 24-aa peptide (TFP5/TP5), derived from the Cdk5 activator p35, penetrates the blood-brain barrier after i.p. injections, inhibits abnormal Cdk5 hyperactivity, and significantly rescues AD pathology (up to 70–80%) in 5XFAD and P25Tg AD model mice. In this study, the mutant mice were injected with TFP5 and exhibited behavioral rescue, no toxic side effects, decreased inflammation, amyloid plaques, NFTs, cell death, and extended life by two months has been demonstrated. Neuroprotective and restorative role of TP5/TFP5 has also been demonstrated in other PD model cellular and animal system; human neuroblastoma (SHSY5Y) cell death, c-elegance and amphetamine induced rotational behavior in 5-OHDA rats. These results point out that TFP5/TP5 as a potential therapeutic, toxicity-free neuroprotective drug candidate. These and other studies presented demonstrate TP5/TFP5 exhibit a critical role in mitochondrial function, autophagy induction and neuronal loss in MPTP and other neurotoxic reagents-mediated neuronal toxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction well characterized animal models of PD

Biography:

Vahe Poghosyan received his MSc in Mathematics (1997) from Yerevan State University and PhD in Neurophysiology (2000) from National Academy of Sciences of Armenia. He held positions of Research Scientist in RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Japan (2000-2007), and Senior Scientist (2007-2016) and Director of Research Training Program (2011-2016) at AAI Scientific Cultural Services Ltd. in Cyprus. Currently, Dr. Poghosyan is the Head of MEG Laboratory and Consultant of Neuronavigation at King Fahad Medical City in Riyadh, KSA. He has published more than 20 research papers in the high-impact journals in the field of Neuroscience

Abstract:

Invasive electrophysiological recordings and other invasive diagnostic procedures are routinely used in patients undergoing neurosurgeries, both intra- and extra-operatively. Invariably, these invasive approaches are associated with higher morbidity and their use should be minimized. While in certain cases invasive procedures are indispensable, the evidence suggests that in other cases, they may be substituted by non-invasive recordings. In this work, I will demonstrate that magnetoencephalography (MEG) can be used as a viable alternative and significant addition to a number of widely used invasive procedures. More specifically, it can be used to accurately localize the epileptic foci, potentially replacing intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) in certain well-defined cases and significantly enhancing the clinic yield of iEEG in nearly all cases. MEG can be used to determine the hemispheric dominance for language, fully replacing the widely popular, but invasive Wada procedure. It can be used to effectively map the eloquent cortex of receptive and expressive language functions, visual, auditory and somatosensory functions, motor functions and central sulcus, potentially avoiding the need for invasive mapping of these brain areas.

MEG is the newest and most advanced method of functional neuroimaging and neurophysiology, which provides both high spatial (of the order of few millimeters) and excellent temporal (sub-milliseconds) resolution. MEG is non-invasive, painless and safe for all ages, with no injections, radioactivity or strong magnetic fields.

Biography:

Wai Kwong Tang was appointed as Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2011. His main research area includes Addictions and Neuropsychiatry in Stroke. He has published over 100 papers in renowned journals, and has also contributed to the peer review of 40 journals. He has secured over 20 major competitive research grants, including Health and Medical Research Fund, reference number: 02130726. Health and Medical Research Fund, reference number: 01120376 and National Natural Science Foundation of China, reference number: 81371460. General Research Fund, reference number: 474513. General Research Fund, reference number: 473712. He has served in Editorial Boards of five scientific journals. He was also a recipient of the Young Researcher Award in 2007, awarded by the Chinese University of Hong Kong

Abstract:

Many stroke survivors suffer from depression. Poststroke depression (PSD) adversely effect on the recovery and rehabilitation of stroke survivors. The frequency of PSD remained high in both acute and chronic stroke patients. Possible structural correlates of PSD include cerebral microbleeds, lacunar infarcts, and white matter changes. Functional changes in several brain networks, such as the default mode network and the affective network have been reported in PSD. Latest findings on the link between structural and functional brain changes and PSD will be discussed.