The International
Workshop on Dementia and Cognition was held
in Chennai, India, earlier this year. The
workshop had a contemporary educational
theme "From Science to Patient" and a research
development theme "Transcultural Perspectives".
Support was obtained from a number of prestigious
research, educational and professional bodies,
The Wellcome Trust- UK, Alzheimer's Disease
International- UK, Alzheimer's Association
(USA), Institute of Psychiatry, King's College,
London, and TS Srinivasan Charitable Trust
(India). The TS Srinivasan Institute of
Neurological Sciences and Research, Public
Health Centre, a community based not for
profit hospital in Chennai, was the principal
host, along with the Voluntary Health Services
Medical Centre, another non-profit hospital.
The faculty
were handpicked experts from around the
world, with sub-specialisation in dementia,
and research interests in this area. Over
twenty eminent experts participated, delivered
didactic lectures, and took part in interactive
discussions with delegates. The gamut of
academic themes were covered including neurobiology,
epidemiology, clinical manifestations, pharmacological
and non-pharmacological approaches to therapy
and rehabilitation, services for dementia,
health policy development, etc. The transcultural
theme enabled experts from developed and
developing nations to present varying points
of view, compare notes with one another,
and discuss commonalities and unique differences
between these settings.
A focused
research development symposium was held
as part of this workshop, made possible
by the receipt of a symposium grant from
The Wellcome Trust, UK. Focused symposia
on care giving lead by the Alzheimer's Disease
and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI),
and on Epidemiology by the 10/66 Dementia
Research Group also took place. Other highlights
of this meeting included a Public Forum
entitled "Understanding Dementia" and an
Indian dance ballet "Dementia through Art",
both aimed at educating lay members of society.
The workshop generated considerable interest
in the Indian media, with over 30 articles
in the print media (including four full
length interviews) and coverage in 5 television
channels
Three hundred
and forty delegates attended this meeting,
40% of whom were students and trainees,
benefiting greatly from the highly subsidized
fee structure. The discussions from this
workshop are leading to the production of
a book entitled "Transcultural Perspectives
in Dementia" (Editors: Krishnamoorthy ES,
Prince MJ & Cummings JL), the proposal being
in advanced stages of discussion with a
major academic publisher.
