Welcome, Colleagues
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EPACONGRESSNEWS The official daily newsletter of the 21st European Congress of Psychiatry Sunday 7 April 2013 Day 1 Inside today Welcome, colleagues Page 4 It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the Schizophrenia: Better ‘functioning’ for pa- 21st European Congress of Psychiatry in Nice. tients in their return his year marks the 30th ciations of Families of People with Men- to the community. anniversary of the European tal Illness (EUFAMI), European College Page 6 Psychiatric Association, thus of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP), it offers a natural opportu- World Psychiatric Association (WPA), ADHD: pharmaco- nity to both reflect on the European Brain Council (EBC), Euro- therapy is not the only element Tpast three decades of psychiatry and pean Federation of Psychiatric Trainees also look to the future of where we (EFPT) and the European Conference on Page 9 would like our journey to take us in Schizophrenia Research (ECSR). the next 30 years. In tribute, this year’s As we look to the future, it is appar- Phenomenology as a method to access programme features special presenta- ent that we need to place more focus patients’ experi- tions, Round Tables, networking events on consciously improving the health ences and improve and discussions that will set the tone as of psychiatric professionals, encourag- treatment strategies. we usher in the next era of European ing ourselves and all those in the field psychiatry. to invest more effort in improving our Danuta Wasserman Page 12 We are already off to a fantastic working conditions as well as indi- Discussing the new start, having welcomed 33 European vidually taking care of our own health, array of core symposia, plenary lectures, directions of DSM-V National Psychiatric Associations (NPAs) both mental and somatic. The latter state of the art lectures, pro and con and ICD-11 with more than 77,000 members to the by increasing awareness about the debates, early career sessions, posters Page 15 EPA in the last year. These collabora- role of diet, exercise and sleep. And and sponsored sessions that offer a tions will serve to enhance our knowl- the congress will be no exception – as comprehensive and enlightening view edge and understanding of different well as offering healthy Mediterranean of the very latest insights in psychiatry traditions, cultures and viewpoints cuisine throughout, we will be hosting and its associated fields. across Europe, thus fostering reciprocal organised walks between hotels and I hope that you have an enlighten- exchange of ideas and approaches that the Acropolis, as well as asking plenary ing and enjoyable congress, and I look will boost the advancement of patient lecture attendees to join us in a pre- forward to seeing you again in Munich, care in these economically challenging lecture warm-up with the help of our Germany, 2014. times. very own congress exercise guru. Danuta Wasserman We welcome these new associa- By strengthening our well being and EPA President Julio Licinio dis- tions alongside the fruitful and dynamic health, we will be better prepared to Head of the National Prevention of cusses his plenary relationships of our long-established serve our patients and by giving good Suicide and Mental Ill-health (NASP) at lecture on gene and collaborators, the World Health Organi- examples, our patients will profit in the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden environment Interac- zation (WHO), European Union (EU), treatment process. Director for the WHO Collaborating tions European Union of Medical Specialists As always, the cutting-edge scien- Centre for Prevention of Mental Ill- (UEMS), European Federation of Asso- tific programme returns with a rich Health and Suicide 2 EPA Congress News 7 April 2013 Sunday Pharmacological treatment of ADHD Athéna Sunday 10:00-11:30 Taking a step back in ADHD he debate over the increasing prescription Europe. We see a very large increase in the num- minutes of attention span. Yes, some kids are of ADHD medication sets the stage for a bers, almost ten-fold, during a decade in autism way behind, but it doesn’t mean that they have discussion of the questions that genetic spectrum diagnosis, and this led the DSM-V to a disorder. Some kids are shorter than others, Tstudies can answer in the disorder. During his change the diagnosis.” some kids have less motor skills, some kids have presentation today on the promises of genet- Professor Zalsman will demonstrate that an attention span of 15 minutes, not 13. Some ics, Gil Zalsman (Sackler School of Medicine, ADHD is at least partially genetic, with evidence people in my profession think that since it is Tel Aviv, Israel) will take delegates through the from twin and adoption studies, as well as only developmental, if you wait long enough nature versus nurture debate in ADHD, empha- genomics. He said: “The prevalence in identi- this kid will catch up; so actually it is unfair to sising the importance of continuing collaborative cal twins is two to three times more than in Ritalin to everyone who is a little behind in the efforts to understand the disorder better. non-identical twins, which same way that we don’t Every fifth adolescent in high school in the means that if you share give growth hormone to US takes Ritalin, according to recent data from the same DNA, the odds “The EPA, and every kid that is a little the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in the US.1 of having ADHD if your especially the Child bit short in the first few “ADHD is considered as an epidemic in Europe brother has it is some- years of school!” and the US,” said Professor Zalsman. “There is times around 50 percent. Psychiatry section While this may be a big debate about it: is it really a disease? Is it Adoption studies show that I am chairing at the case, Professor actually part of culture? In this culture, every- the same: there is a major the EPA, is trying to Zalsman was also care- body has a cellphone and everything is so quick. genetic contribution to ful to stress that some Maybe we are creating this disorder. Some other ADHD.” promote collaboration individuals will never people say that it is nothing but a neurological The high hereditability between people. This attain normal adult disorder. The main assumption is that we simply of ADHD has prompted measures of attention come to a diagnosis more often. The debate in genetic studies, look- is what EPA is about. span. In adulthood, the US is that there is over-diagnosis. The criteria ing at either candidate We have to join hands and even in childhood are too wide, and actually the whole story of the gene regions or scanning and adolescence, the epidemic of ADHD is a matter of diagnosis and the genome as a whole. and do it together.” problems of ADHD awareness. The same is true for PDD [pervasive While contradictory Gil Zalsman (Sackler School of do not end when the development disorder] and autism in the US and findings are a frustration Medicine, Tel Aviv, Israel) school bell rings. “We for the scientific commu- see today about seven nity, they may belie the to 10 percent of adults complexity of the multiple genetic and envi- with ADHD. Most of the problems of these ronmental factors that make up an individual’s kids are much bigger than school. They are ADHD symptom profile. “Often studies found a impulsive, they have behavioural problems, they EPACONGRESSNEWS few candidate genes, but none of them can be are not attentive, and they are impulsive often Publishing and Production said to be the gene for ADHD,” said Profes- within their peer group so they are not popular. MediFore Limited sor Zalsman. “It seems that some findings are They have a lot of problems with their parents, EPA President not replicable. In some cases, the findings are because they behave badly. So they have low Danuta Wasserman true in boys and not in girls. Some findings are self esteem, and very high rates of depression Local Organising Committee Chair negative, while others are positive on the same and other comorbidities. One of the studies we Philippe Courtet gene. The current state is that we actually have have done has shown that the rate of suicidality Editor-in-Chief no gene in our hand, and it seems that in many is higher, the suicidal ideation and attempts are Peter Stevenson other disorders in psychiatry – and especially higher. So actually, these kids are vulnerable in Editor in child psychiatry – that the genetics of the many things, and their functioning in school is Rysia Burmicz disorder is multifactorial. There is more than one only part of the problem.” Design gene and there is more than one factor. So it is The complexity of multiple genetic and envi- Peter Williams actually an interaction between few key genes ronmental factors, together with the theory of Industry Liaison Manager and the environment together.” over-diagnosis, presents a significant challenge Cheryl Cagiola When prescribing for ADHD in the young, for research. Moreover, genome-wide studies Head Office the normal distribution of developmental require thousands of subjects to attain the statis- 19 Jasper Road rates that children display must be taken into tical power that is necessary for a hypothesis- London SE19 1ST, UK Telephone: : +44 (0) 208 244 0583 account, said Professor Zalsman, adding that free study of such a vast array of data. “The [email protected] attention span may take longer to develop in only way really to do it is to have consortia and www.medifore.co.uk some children than others. “A child that was collaboration,” said Professor Zalsman.