July 2016 – Page 2

FROM THE EDITORS

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

Steven L. Lewis, MD

Walter Struhal, MD

We are pleased to introduce this issue of World Neurology. In this issue, Raad Shakir, MD, president of the World Federation of Neurology (WFN), provides us with a historical view of the long-standing and important collaborative relationship between the World Health Organization and the WFN, working together for the overall goal of improving brain health.

Marco T. Medina, MD, and Gustavo C. Román, MD, update us on the Pan-American Federation of the Neurological Societies, an organization with the vision to reach the highest level of neurological health in all the countries of the American continent.

Prisca-Rolande Bassolé, MD, and Yannick Fogang Fogoum, MD, provide their insights and opinions (from their standpoint as young African neurologists) about their hopes for the African Academy of Neurology, an organization whose inaugural meeting was less than one year ago.

Mohammad Wasay, MD, and Professor Wolfgang Grisold, MD, secretary-general of the WFN, remind us about the upcoming World Brain Day 2016: “Brain Health in an Aging Population.”

Dr. Román and Rodrigo Pardo-Turriago, MD, report on the XII Annual Colombian Congress of Neurology and the development of the guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of Zika virus-associated Guillain-Barré syndrome in Colombia that was prepared for the Ministry of Health of Colombia. This issue also features a report on the breaking news session on Zika virus held at the recent European Academy of Neurology meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Jacques Reis, MD, Serefnur Öztürk, MD, Dr. Román, and Peter Spencer, PhD, provide a detailed overview of the history and ongoing activities of the Environmental Neurology Applied Research Group of the WFN.

In our regular columns, Katharina M. Busl, MD, MS, reviews the recent book by Eelco F. M. Wijdicks, MD, on emergency and critical care neurology, and in our history of neurology column, Peter Koehler, MD, PhD, discusses the pioneering medical and biological insights of an 18th century European physician from his travels to Surinam.

Also in this issue, Sarosh M. Katrak, MD, and Steven L. Lewis, MD, provide their nominating statements for the position of elected WFN trustee, to be voted on by the WFN delegates in Prague, Czech Republic, in September 2016.

Finally, two neurological giants are celebrated and memorialized in this issue. Johan A. Aarli, MD, (eighth WFN president) and professor Shakir report on the life and legacy of Lord John Walton, MD, who served as the fifth WFN president, while Dr. Katrak and Bhim Sen Singhal, MD, report on the life and accomplishments of Professor Noshir H. Wadia, MD.

We hope you enjoy reading this issue of World Neurology. We look forward to continuing to receive your outstanding submissions and helpful suggestions for the benefit of all of the readers of World Neurology.

Day of the Brain: July 22, 2016

By Wolfgang Grisold, MD, and Mohammed Wasay, MD

“The Aging Brain“ and changes in neurological function in age is the topic of this year’s Day of the Brain.

On July 22, 2016, the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) will celebrate its 3rd Annual Day of the Brain. The topic will be “The Aging Brain” and should alert all member countries on the emerging problems of the aging population and also the increase in dementia.

Press material and information has been sent to WFN delegates. Please plan to participate and improve the fate of aging persons with neurological disease.

A New Regional Organization: PAFNS

By Marco T. Medina, MD, MPhil, FAAN, and Gustavo C. Román, MD, DrHC, FAAN

WFN President Raad Shakir, MD, (seventh from left), WFN Regional Director for Latin America Marco T. Medina, MD, MPhil, FAAN, (eighth from left), and Latin American WFN representatives gather during the Pan-American Federation of the Neurological Societies (PAFNS) meeting at the World Congress of Neurology Nov. 5, 2015, in Santiago, Chile, where the PAFNS legal status as a nonprofit organization under Chilean Law received approval.

A new regional organization, the Pan-American Federation of Neurological Societies (PAFNS), has been founded with the support of 20 Latin American countries, the World Federation of Neurology (WFN), and the American Academy of Neurology (AAN).¹ Fifty-three years ago, the first Pan-American Congress of Neurology organized by the WFN, under the leadership of Professor Julio Oscar Trelles, met in Lima, Peru.² Since then, neurologists from Latin America have attended the regional Pan-American Congresses organized by the WFN every four years. During that time, most of the regional educational and research activities for the region were promoted by the WFN.^1-4 However, the need for an official regional organization became clear, mainly due to the growth of clinical neurology outside the United States and Canada on the American continent, as well as the need for up-to-date neurological information provided in Spanish and Portuguese.

Representatives from several Latin American countries recognized the particular educational needs of the region. This led to the Declaration of Morocco, which was signed by WFN Latin American delegates on Nov. 15, 2011, during the 20th World Congress of Neurology in Marrakech. The declaration stated that a regional continental organization was needed: “to coordinate and support the efforts of the member societies towards improvement of neurological services for the peoples of the American continent, as well as to optimize neurological care, education and research, and to promote public health initiatives to increase awareness of the importance of brain health.”

A commission formed by representatives from Chile, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic implemented the bylaws required for the creation of the PAFNS. On March 5, 2012, delegates attending the 13th Pan-American Congress of Neurology in La Paz, Bolivia, endorsed the declaration.⁴ On March 20, 2013, all Latin American delegates attending the 65th Annual Meeting of the AAN in San Diego, California, formally approved the PAFNS constitution.

The following countries approved and signed the constitution as founding and active ordinary members: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The Ibero-American Stroke Society, Commission on Latin American Affairs of the International League Against Epilepsy, and the World Sleep Society have requested to be associate members.

The enthusiastic regional support from all the Latin American member societies of the WFN; steady leadership of Gustavo C. Román, chairman of the WFN Latin America initiative, and Marco T. Medina, WFN regional director for Latin America^1,4; and the support of Dr. Briseida Feliciano, Dr. Ana Robles, Professor Renato Verdugo, and others were critical for the foundation of the PAFNS. Two presidents of the WFN provided strong patronage to the project, Professor Vladimir Hachinski and Professor Raad Shakir. Enthusiastic support for this initiative was received from Professor Timothy Pedley, then president of the AAN, and Professor Morris Freedman, Canadian representative to the WFN.

On Nov. 5, 2015, during the XII World Congress of Neurology in Santiago, Chile, the legal status of the PAFNS as a nonprofit organization under Chilean law was signed, having as witnesses Professors Shakir, Medina, Román, Verdugo, and Sergio Castillo, as well as numerous Chilean and Latin American neurologists.

Legal counsel for elaboration of the PAFNS bylaws and establishment of the non-for-profit tax status was made possible thanks to grants provided by the WFN and the AAN.

During the upcoming Pan-American Congress of Neurology in Cancun, Mexico, at the end of 2016, the Council of Delegates will elect the new PAFNS Board of Directors. The PAFNS will be the preeminent neurological association of the Americas, working toward maximizing the neurological health of the people in all countries in the American continent through education and awareness of the importance of early care of brain diseases and dissemination of advances in neuroscience and the goal of optimizing neurological patient care. The PAFNS’ vision is to reach the highest level of neurological health in all the countries of the American continent. The creation of the PAFNS represents a major step for the improvement of regional neurological care, education, and research.

Marco T. Medina, MD, MPhil, FAAN, is WFN Latin American regional director and dean of the faculty of medical sciences, National Autonomous University of Honduras, Tegucigalpa. Gustavo C. Román, MD, DrHC, FAAN, is WFN chairman, Latin America Initiative, and the Jack S. Blanton Distinguished Endowed Chair and a professor of neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, Methodist Neurological Institute, Houston, Texas.

References

M.T. Medina, G.C. Román. The Pan-American Federation of Neurological Societies (PAFNS): A New Regional Organization, J. Neurol. Sci. 366 (2016) 195-196.
Johan A. Aarli (Ed.), The History of the World Federation of Neurology: The First 50 Years of the WFN, first ed. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2014.
M.T. Medina, T. Munsat, Neurology Education in Latin America and the World Federation of Neurology, J. Neurol. Sci. 298 (2010) 17-20.
T. Munsat, J. Aarli, M. Medina, G. Birbeck, A. Weiss, International issues: Educational Programs of the World Federation of Neurology, Neurology 72 (2009) e46-e49.
V. Hachinski, President’s Column: The Formation of the Latin America Federation of Neurological Societies, World Neurol. 27 (3) (2012)