4th Annual Conference on
Brain Disorders, Neurology and Therapeutics

Biography:

Leigh Richardson was introduced to neurofeedback after her son was hit by a car and was searching for answers. She became part of the neurologist team that helped her son and was there for 5 years working within a medical model as a neuro therapist. In 2009 the Brain Performance Center was open offering a wider array of treatment options based on a behavioral model. In the last 15 years Leigh has worked with depression, Parkinson’s, stroke, anxiety, TBI, chronic pain, ADHD, Autism, and Addiction as a psycho therapist and neuro therapist. Leigh is a regular contributor to FOX news as a brain health expert.

Abstract:

Chronic pain has a variety of causes, ranging from an initial injury or ongoing illness, but there may also be no clear cause. Because of this, chronic pain can be very hard to treat and can have negative impacts on the patient’s lifestyle. It is a significant problem, as 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain and over 1.5 billion worldwide.  It causes over 36 million Americans to miss work every year. A 2006 study carried out by the American Pain Foundation found just 23% of patients with chronic pain found opioids effective.  Few people, feel that there is a cure for chronic pain, as 66% of pain suffers expect to live with some pain for the rest of their life. Facts like these show that current approaches to chronic pain may not capture the full picture, and that the roots of chronic pain must run deeper, beyond just the physical and into the emotional and psychological.

The American Academy of Neurology has endorsed use of CBT for symptoms of pain, weakness, dizziness that are not associated with a known disease. However, this sentiment has been acknowledged for centuries, as Ancient Greeks and Romans were the first to advance the idea that the brain and central nervous system were instrumental in the perception of pain. We will build on that idea in this session and will review how the principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can be applied, along with a neuro cognitive perspective, to improve quality of life and help patients manage their pain. 

We will discuss each of the different treatment modalities that are used to create regulation in the brain. This will include three different forms of neurofeedback, and three different forms of neuromodulation and photo modulation. 

Biography:

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: Sensory integration is one of the most utilized therapeutic interventions in ASD. Problems effectively integrating multi-sensory input can limit, amongst others, a child’s ability to develop social relationships, cognitive motor skills, planning and sequencing novel tasks and attending to tasks. New technologies for testing and therapy like multi-axle rotational devices and cognitive motor training platforms give new opportunities in multi-sensory integration and cognitive performance, however, a lack of consensus exists regarding its evidence base.

Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: The results of multiple systematic reviews indicate that sensory integration intervention meets the criteria for an evidence‐based practice according to the CEC Standards for Evidence‐Based Practices for ASD. Case studies using high-frequent videonystagmography (VNG) and computerized posturography (CPG) for testing of peripheral sensory systems and central sensory integration, and treatment interventions with multi-axle rotational devices and motor training platforms were utilized and focused on outcome measurements with VNG and CPG.

Findings: Children in these case studies showed significant changes in social behaviors, cognitive motor performance and attending to tasks. Objective measurements through VNG and CPG reflect changes in central sensory processing.

Conclusion & Significance: Children with autism ASD will benefit from multi-sensory integration combined with cognitive performance. However, further clinical studies with these new treatment interventions (multi-axle rotational devices and cognitive motor training platforms) need to be done to prove benefits compared to conventional sensory integration therapies.

Biography:

Dr Ahmed Allam has his expertise in the field of neurogenesis and neurobehaviors especially in the newborns. Many of his publications and works focus on the damage which produced in the brain regions due to perinatally toxins exposure during development and how to repair this damage and reduce its hazards and how mothers could be avoided from these teratogenic factors even tough toxins or manners. Also, Dr Allam has some expertise in the following area Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Biological Sciences, Neuroscience, Medicine, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics Immunology.

Abstract:

The present study aimed to elucidate the abnormalities in the development of rat brains and behaviours after drinking desalinated seawater prenatally. Three types of drinking water were employed as an experimental probe (bottled water, filtered desalinated seawater and tap desalinated seawater) to investigate neurobehavioral and morphological changes in the development of pup rats. Female rats from each group were administered water from their birth until gestation and lactation. The 1st and 2nd generation pups were divided into three groups: Group C, mothers and pups administered with bottled drinking water (the control group); Group F, mothers and pups administered with filtered drinking water; Group T, mothers and pups administered with unfiltered desalinated seawater (tap water). Morphological changes (CNS aberration) and neurobehavioral changes were studied. The aberrations recorded in the brain regions (cerebellum, cerebrum, medulla oblongata) and spinal cord of rat’s newborns from groups T and F may be due to oxidative stress in these tissues such as reduced glutathione, lipid peroxidation, peroxidase and super oxide dismutase. In conclusion, drinking desalinated seawater for a long time may cause teratogenic effects in the development of New-born rats. 

Biography:

Abstract:

Biography:

In 1985 I graduated in Biological Science at the University of Valencia and in 1996 I finished my PhD in the IIC Institute looking for astrogliogenesis during brain development. In 1997 I spent three years at Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK. I was working in inflammation and regulation of IL-1 and IL-1 receptor. In 2000 I returned to Spain at Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine in University of Valencia until now. I am working in toxicity in developmental and neurodegenerative disease (such as Alzheimer’s disease) looking for oxidative stress and inflammation mechanisms

Abstract:

The amyloid precursor protein plus presenilin-1 (APP/PS1) mice are a frequently-used model for Alzheimer’s disease studies (AD). Using behavioral studies, quantitative RT-PCR and Western-blot techniques, significant findings were determined by the expression of proteins involved in inflammation comparing APP/PS1 and Wild type mice. Increased GFAP expression could be associated with the elevation in number of reactive astrocytes. IL-3 is involved in inflammation and ABDF1 intervenes normally in the transport across cell membranes and both were found up-regulated in APP/PS1 mice compared to Wild type mice. We noted for the first time, a CCR8 increase expression with diminution of its CCL1 chemokine, both normally involved in protection from bacterial infection and demyelination. Furthermore, CCR5 expression was decreased and both CCL3 and CCL4 chemokines were highly expressed indicating a possible gliosis and probably an increase in chemotaxis from lymphocytes and T cell generation. Inflammation in AD will be the next step in the therapeutic approach.

Biography:

Owen Connolly- Owner & Senior Counselling Psychologist at the Owen Connolly Counselling Therapy & Education Centre. I have practised in the USA, Lebanon and the UK, now full-time in Ireland. I have over 50,000 client hours as a Counsellor. Qualifications: BSc (Hons) Psych, Cert Hsc, Cert Social Sc., Miit Grad. Professional membership: I.S.T.S.S., U.S.T.S.S., Committee member of the child & adolescent special interest group PSI, Marriage & Family therapist ILM. Publications: Author of the best selling book, the Father’s role as a parent : ‘Standing on the Shoulders of Giants’. Co-author of ‘Parenting in the Millenium. Social Media: Broadcaster and regular contributor to ‘TV Now’ magazine, ‘Ask the expert’ section, with regular contributions in the Irish Independent/Herald/Sunday World & Irish Times on a huge range of family related topics. Other memberships: Chairman of the Education Research Trust Ltd. Member of IAIMH ( Irish Association of Infant Mental Health). Director and Board Member of PPS (Psychologists Protection Society), Protecting counsellors, psychologists & psychotherapists for over 35 years Member of ACAMH (Association for Child & Adolescent Mental Health) Chairman of AMEN supporting men experiencing domestic abuse

Abstract:

I will be presenting a reflection of my body of clinical trauma work, also represented in my book ‘On the Shoulders of Giants’ which was published in 2006. This work was first presented at the PSI Conference in 2012 and again in 2013. My clinical work centres around infantile post-traumatic stress, whereby symptoms of present anxieties are traced back to birth. This treatment programme is referred to as ‘Re-set Therapy’.

Areas being addressed in this presentation centre around the first brain region to be visible in the womb; the reptilian function of the brain. This is deepest, most ancient part of the human brain, largely unchanged by evolution. The reptilian brain activates instinctive behaviour related to survival, and controls essential bodily functions required for sustaining life, including: hunger, digestion, breathing, circulation, temperature, movement, and territorial instincts. The reptilian function is visible twenty-two days after conception. From very early on, this region appears to have a defensive role, which we now recognise as the ‘fight-or-flight’ response. The fight-or-flight response is a survival response, designed to respond appropriately to real or perceived threat. When the fight-or-flight response is triggered, cortisol levels are understood to increase. An increase in cortisol levels correlate with physical and psychological presentations of anxiety and related behavioural and self-regulatory disorders, such as ADD, ADHD, OCD and others, which clinicians have been seeking to address for some time, with mixed levels of success.

The individual’s unique DNA is being formed from conception, through in-utero development and into the delivery process. Recent developments in availability of procedures such as amnio-sentisis have provided unprecedented opportunity to assess the foetus from early stage development. However, practitioners using such procedures have presented ultrasound evidence of the foetus seemingly attempting an escape – a defence mechanism against a real or perceived threat, long before the rational brain has formed. Similarly, the delivery process can be a traumatic event, where tools such as forceps and suction-cups (venteuse) correlate with the experience of distress, which can have an interfering effect on the regulation within the child. The use of fMRI scans have demonstrated changes which arise in the brain of a child separated from their caregiver. Etiological studies of attachment patterns, grounded on theories of Bowlby and others, propose vast evidence of the effect of maternal anxiety on the affective regulation of the child, in-utero. These brain changes have been indicated to negatively influence subsequent self-regulation capacity for the child as well as the capacity to effectively trust others.

The design for survival is present, active and well-formed in the brain of the individual. The body’s alarm system is well-placed, and ‘perfectly’ created. The alarm system was never designed to be triggered constantly. We consider the alarm system within the brain as we would consider an alarm system of a building. The alarm must always be present but should only triggered in the event of a ‘break in’. Where the alarm system is triggered, there are demonstrable neurobiological alterations. We use this information to retrain the brain and the body, and to re-set the alarm. We teach our brains to be in-charge of the alarm once again; to be able to re-set and to reverse the reptilian override of the rational brain, the so-called ‘brain hijack’. That is the hope which Re-set Therapy proposes and succeeds to bring. We are at a cutting-edge crossroads in that the empirical evidence is catching up with what clinical practice of Re-set Therapy has demonstrated for years.

My presentation will explore the identification of and treatment plan for individuals presenting with the vast number of anxieties and neurological ailments throughout the lifespan. Case studies and reference to emergent and established data will be used throughout, in order to illustrate comprehensively beyond theory and into the clinical experience of Re-set Therapy.

Biography:

Dr. Garcia-Alix Alfredo, MD, PhD, completed his doctorate in 1990 at the Autonoma University of Madrid. He began his training as a pediatrician in 1982 at the Children's Hospital La Paz in Madrid and spent a year and half (1988-1989) training in Neonatal Neurology in the Department of Neurology of the Children's Hospital of San Luis, University of Washington. In addition to work in the field of neonatal neurology since1990, at present he is the president of NeNe Foundation, a non-profit organization that seeks to promote the development of neonatal neurology. He has been associate professor of pediatrics at Autonoma University in Madrid and actually he is associate professor at the University of Barcelona. He has published more than 100 articles registered in the Pubmed and is an honorary professor at the Universidad de Concepcion, Chile.

Abstract:

Symptomatic Neonatal Arterial Ischemic Stroke (NAIS) refers to a perinatal ischemic stroke (revealed by brain imaging) with clinical signs; mainly focal seizures. NAIS is surprisingly common, affecting near 1 in 4,000 neonates at birth and produces a significant morbidity and long-term neurologic deficits.

Methods. We performed a multicenter observational prospective study in which 66 neonates more than 35 weeks of gestational age and NAIS were included between 2006-2016.  The objectives of this study were: 1) to investigate the pathogenic factors of NAIS (particularly prothrombotic factors), 2) to generate a distribution map based on early MRI data, 3) to analyze the relationship between CSF-NSE levels and brain lesions in neuroimaging (topology and volume), as well as the correlation between both biomarkers with the outcome at two years of age.

To examine the role of family history, maternal diseases and thrombophilia, 129 controls were recruited prospectively. The correlation between cortico-subcortical lesions and outcomes in motor, cognitive function and language function and epilepsy was performed by means of voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping technique.

Results. Thrombophilia, maternal diseases and thromboembolic events in the families did not differ between cases and controls.

The region posterior to the central sulcus was the most frequently affected in NAIS (71%) and this explains the reason that functional alterations related to language were the most prevalent outcome (40%).

CSF-NSE appears to be an early biomarker after an NAIS due to there was a relation between size, arterial territory of the infarct, and neurodevelopment at two years of age. Outcome at two years correlated well with infarct volume and topology. While descending corticospinal tracts diffusion-weighted MRI signal is predictive of motor outcome, cognitive function was mainly correlated with Stroke volume, being the most important cognitive predictor the stroke involving main branch MCA

Biography:

Professor G. Dyachkova has 45 years of experience in traumatology and orthopedics, radiology. With her participation, 15 new diagnostic methods based on multislice and magnetic resonance tomography were developed, comprehensive studies were carried out to study the quality of bone in patients with diseases of the musculoskeletal system, which made it possible to increase the effectiveness of radiology diagnostics in justifying Ilizarov treatment methods for patients with injuries and bone diseases, improve the quality of life of patients. Professor Dyachkova published more than 350 papers on various aspects of radiology, the organization of health care, and received 18 patents for new methods of treatment and diagnostics.

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: Congenital pseudoarthrosis of the tibia (CPT) remains one of the most complicated and rare condition, and this pathology still remains the subject of focus for many specialists, because complicated long and multi-stage surgical treatment and poor outcomes in 20-50% of cases. To study changes of bone and soft tissues in patients with congenital pseudoarthrosis by MSCT and MRI.

 Methodology & Theoretical Orientation:: The work is based on the study of results of treatment and examination of 25 patients with CPT, among them 11 were females, 14–males. In 93% of patients CPT was located in the lower third of the tibia. In most of the cases, etiology of CPT was associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 (46%), in 23%-fibrous dysplasia and in 31%-was idiopathic. We studied condition of bone and soft tissues at the site of congenital pseudoarthrosis of the tibia before commencing treatment, using radiographic methods- multi slice computed tomography (MSCT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in order to make prognosis of treatment outcome and recurrence of the disease.

Findings: 25 patients with congenital pseudoarthrosis of the tibia (CPT) in the age group 8 to 40 years were examined by above mentioned radiographic methods, multi slice computed tomography (MSCT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before treatment and after recurrence. The peculiarities and changes in structure of tibial and fibular cortex, periosteum and muscles at the site of pseudoarthrosis. We derived at complex findings and changes that cause recurrence, of pseudarthrosis after deformity correction, or treatment. We developed criteria for evaluation of bone quality in patients with CPT.

Conclusion & Significance: Structural changes in the soft tissue and the bone at the site of CPT, detected by MRI and MSCT, allow for rather precise interpretation of condition of bone, periosteum, muscles during various stages of treatment and this information can be used to choose appropriate technique and methods of treatment.

Biography:

MS. SUCHI is an experienced International Pre School Principal/Manager who picked up  Laughter exercises from many coaches around the world. She then designed ‘Laughter Therapy' which is being used  in many places such as hospitals and Senior Activity Centres. She provides individual and group therapy in educational and home settings.

A former Manager / Trainer is now engages in building social awareness about Holistic approach for recovery. Be it Depression,  Anxiety caused by physical or emotional pain,  Death  in the family  and the harm the unhappiness brings to people, families and communities. Her aim is to encourage people to seek help early and get on the path to recovery. Her works has been featured in local press, TV and Radio and has been an invited speaker at various community clubs and educational  Institutions.  She has also been awarded by MINDS and various community clubs  in recognition of her social work.

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: There is a lack of awareness about what happy hormones are, how to use positive words to feel energetic and what can be done to get happy hormones. People tend to feel unhappy for multiple reasons and neuropathic pain adds on Stress levels of not only the patient but the caregivers as well. Being in pain leads to feeling depressed and anxious in some cases.

Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: 

Review of Books and Research shows that getting a dosage of happy hormones will not only ease slight pain of the patient but feeling happy will also have a positive impact on the recovery of the patient. Adopting Laughter therapy and getting hormones which makes one feel good will help many to recover from Neuropathic pain /Long term sadness caused by having grief, Anger or Resentment, Depression & Anxiety.

Findings: One needs to work on his/her energies using Laughter Therapy which is a positive approach for not having Depression & Anxiety caused by Neuropathic pain. The therapy can be used as a Holistic way to recovery. 

Conclusion & Significance: The Laughter therapy which includes ways to get the dosage of happy hormones promotes overcoming Depression & Anxiety caused by Neuropathic pain, is a fun way to manage pain.  Repeated sessions to be conducted to remind patients that life while having pain or during the recovery should go beyond just seeking medical and counselling help and also include rebuilding Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, Relational and Mental health. The model has been put together from for testing in many settings including hospitals, elderly homes and senior citizen centres.  This is not a research book or paper. It is just an effort to demystify the help available for Depression & Anxiety caused by pain. It is an attempt to motivate and encourage people to seek help and take a simple approach to remember and work on all aspects of their recovery. 

Biography:

Areas of interest: Desenvolvimento do córtex cerebral, neurogênese adulta e terapias celulares

Abstract:

Astroglial cells are abundant in the injured central nervous system and have been proposed as an endogenous source of cells for neuronal repair. Notably, genetic manipulation of these cells using exogenous genes, micro RNAs or small molecules has been shown to induce their phenotypic conversion into induced neuronal cells (iN), capable of integrating into the brain circuitry following in situ transplantation. Recent work in my laboratory has contributed to unravel the potential of astroglial cells isolated from distinct central nervous system structures. Using astroglial cells isolated from the neocortex, cerebellum and retina, we could show the widespread potential of these cells to be lineage reprogrammed into iNs. Importantly, we show that astroglia isolated from different regions differentiate into iNs with phenotypes resembling that of endogenous neurons, suggesting that region-specific astroglia are prompted to regenerate neurons of the same region. However, integration of astroglia-derived iNs in the adult mouse brain is limited as compared to the post-natal brain, indicating that further improvements are required towards the development of astroglia-based therapies.

Biography:

Professor Emeritus Radu Mutihac is Chair of Medical Physics, University of Bucharest, and works in Neuroscience, Neural Networks, Signal Processing, Microelectronics, and Artificial Intelligence. As postdoc/research associate/visiting professor/full professor he has conducted research at the University of Bucharest, International Centre for Theoretical Physics (Italy), Ecole Polytechnique (France), Institut Henri Poincaré (France), KU Leuven (Belgium). Data mining and exploratory analysis of neuroimaging time series were addressed during two Fulbright Grants in Neuroscience (Yale University, CT, and University of New Mexico, NM, USA). His research in fused biomedical imaging modalities was carried out at the Johns Hopkins University, National Institutes of Health, and Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, MD, USA.

Abstract:

The human brain is a large-scale complex network whose function relies on the interaction between its various regions. Recent studies of the human brain connectivity using resting-state/sleep functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and, more recently, diffusion tensor spectroscopic imaging (DSI) data have provided deeper insight on the organization of structural and functional brain networks that continuously share information. Brain's energy is largely consumed at rest during spontaneous neuronal activity (~20%), while task-related increases in metabolism energy are minor (<5%). Spontaneous ultralow-frequency fluctuations in BOLD-based rsfMRI signals (<0.01Hz) at the level of large-scale neural systems are not noise, but orderly and organized in a series of functional networks that permanently maintain a high level of temporal coherence among brain areas that are structurally segregated and functionally linked in resting state networks (RSNs). There is evidence suggesting that such signals permit to extract information about the connectivity and functionality of specific networks. It is also documented that functional connectivity reflects the underlying structural connectivity, which, at rest undergoes specific alterations in several neurological and psychiatric disorders. Human brain function imaged by rsfMRI allows accessing both sides of human mind-brain interface (subjective experience and objective observations). As such, functional neuroimaging moves onto new potential applications like reading the brain states, discriminate neurological dysfunctions (if any), artificial intelligence (AI), brain-computer interfaces (BCI), lie detection, and alike. The presentation aims to review and evaluate the most current approaches for early detection and classification of various forms of dementia, particularly among syndromes with relatively similar behavioral effects, as well as stages in a given syndrome, based on modifications of the brain connectivity at rest explored by rsfMRI, DTI, and DSI.

Biography:

Abstract:

Biography:

Lawson is recently retired as  Associate Dean for Health Disparities and professor of psychiatry, at the Dell Medical School, University of Texas, Austin, where he also held appointments in psychology and pharmacy. He was also Professor of psychology at Huston-Tillotson where he was Director of Community Health Programs at the Sandra Joy Anderson Community Health and Wellness Center and also the Director of Health Disparities Policy and Research at Austin Travis County Integral Care.  He received a PhD in Psychology from the University of New Hampshire and MD from the Pritzker School of Medicine University of Chicago, did his residency at Stanford University and a fellowship at the National Institute of Mental Health. He has held faculty positions at the University of Illinois, Urbana, University of California, Irvine, Vanderbilt University, University of Arkansas, and Howard University. He has held numerous senior positions and received national recognition including past President of the DC chapter of Mental Health America, Past President of the Washington Psychiatric Society, past Chair of the Section of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences of the National Medical Association, and past president of the Black Psychiatrists of America. He  received  the American Psychiatric Foundation Award for Advancing Minority Mental Health, the Solomon Carter Fuller Award by the American Psychiatric Association, the Sigma XI the scientific honor society and Alpha Omega Alpha, the medical honor society, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Exemplary Psychiatrist Award and Outstanding Psychologist Award, the Jeanne Spurlock Award from the American Psychiatric Association, and the E.Y. Williams Clinical Scholar of Distinction Award from the NMA, and  the  George Winokur Clinical Research Award from the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists. He has over 200 publications, and is the editor in chief of the Journal of the National Medical Association. He has continuously received federal, industry, and foundation funding to address mental and substance abuse disparities. He has incorporated to address to use research, education, and clinical care to reduce racial disparities in mental health outcomes.

Abstract:

Close head injuries have been recognized as an important public health and issues that in the past was ignored or minimized in some settings. In the United States combat veterans returning to the community often were unable to function effectively due to a spectrum of residue effects including frank neuropsychological impairment, attentional problems, irritability, and a host of executive function issues. More recently such issues have gotten publicity in the National Football League where veterans of the game retire with a host of neuropsychological consequences. Public awareness campaigns have led to various programs for screening and recognizing these individuals. Moreover various interventions have been introduced including the use of potential cognitive enhancing agents, educational and employment accommodation, peer support programs. A history of head injury is often found in individuals in the correctional system. Part of the problem may be related to the socioeconomic status of individuals in the system, but it may related to why people are incarcerated in the first place. Those with known mental disorders are overrepresented in the correctional system. It should not be a surprise that individuals with neuropsychological impairments would be over represented.  We will present cases showing how unrecognized impairment may lead to more frequent incarcerations and failure to abide by rules of parole. We will discuss potential cognitive enhancing agents that may be effective and the use of odorants and nasal stimulation to improve function.