Basic-Translational-Clinical Roundtables
What We Know, What We Don't Know: How Can We Better Understand Alzheimer's Disease to Develop Effective Treatments?
Organizer/Moderator:
Washington University
Location: SDCC 10
CME: 2.5
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. Genetics, environment, and lifestyle likely contribute to the development of AD. Recent genetic data suggest a key role for glia in influencing AD. AD pathology can now be detected by assessing biomarkers in living people, and many promising treatments are in development. This session will review an update of the main molecules that play a role in AD and discuss the current understanding of AD, new diagnostic methods, and treatments.
Molecular Therapies for Neurological Diseases
Organizer/Moderator:
Biogen
Location: SDCC 10
CME: 2.5
This roundtable will highlight spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) as an example of the progress being made in translating knowledge of the molecular basis of a disease to therapies that transform how the disease is managed. Topics to be discussed include SMA background, antisense, gene therapy, and small molecule approaches to treat SMA. In addition, lessons learned from these development programs will be discussed, highlighting how they translate to other neurological diseases.
Rapid Antidepressant Action: Synaptic Mechanisms and Clinical Aspects
Organizer/Moderator:
Vanderbilt University
Location: SDCC 30E
CME: 2.5
The discovery of rapidly acting antidepressant treatments has generated tremendous enthusiasm. Ketamine, a glutamate receptor antagonist, produces rapid and sustained antidepressant responses in patients. Deep brain stimulation has also shown promise for the treatment of depression. The mechanisms underlying rapid antidepressant responses provide novel perspectives into mood disorders and their treatment. This panel will discuss these novel treatments and the mechanisms underlying their action.
Neuroprosthetic Devices: A Patient's Perspective on Brain Computer Interfaces
Organizer/Moderator:
University of Utah
Location: SDCC 10
CME: 2.5
Patients will talk about their physical limitations and why they participated in time-intensive research for scientific knowledge. They will cover the challenges, breakthroughs, and difficult decisions that come with wearing a neuroprosthetic device. They will also speak to the benefits, despite trial and error methodologies and invasive surgeries, of participating in brain-computer interface (BCI) research, how it has changed their lives, and where they believe researchers should push the future of BCI technologies.
