01_07wfn12_5.qxp 6/7/2012 2:21 PM Page 1 VOL. 27 • NO. 3 • JUNE 2012 World Neurology THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE WORLD FEDERATION OF NEUROLOGY WFN ELECTIONS 2012 INSIDE United States Margaret Kennard’s Trustee Candidates Make Their Cases postgraduate neuro- peregrination across European laboratories stands as an example of the exchange of students across countries. PAGE 4 Portugal Neurologist Noshir H. Wadia recounts his experience of becoming a STANLEY FAHN, MD WOLFGANG GRISOLD, MD RAUL FEDERICO PELLI-NOBLE, JEAN SCHOENEN, MD, PHD prisoner in the infamous MD, PHD Portuguese prison Caxias am the H. Houston Merritt have been privileged to be ’m a typical Belgian prod- while on his way back Professor of Neurology and an elected Trustee since the was born Aug. 1, 1953, in uct, as I was born in the home to India from the Idirector of the Center for IWorld Congress of Neurol- Tucumán, Argentina, the Ieastern German-speaking 1971 World Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Other ogy in Bangkok in 2009. The Isecond of three brothers. I’m tip of the country where Ger- Neurology in Buenos Movement Disorders at Co- work has been interesting and married with two children. My man, Dutch, and Belgian cul- Aires. lumbia University Medical Cen- exciting, and I would like to father worked in the film in- tures and languages join. I PAGE 8 ter in New York. I am a mem- apply to continue my work. dustry and my mother was a studied medicine at Liège Uni- ber of the U.S. Institute of I am a neurologist working schoolteacher and later received versity where French became Medicine and was president of as the head of a neurological a degree in fine arts. In our my second foreign language. the American Academy of department in a large city hos- home, the sense of family and Thereafter I had the privilege Canada Neurology (AAN) in 2001-2003. pital associated with the Uni- education was always present. of doing a neuropathology Few have made so great of Along with C. David Marsden, versity of Vienna (Austria). I Since childhood my interest and neurology residency with a contribution to a field of I am a cofounder of the Move- am interested in neuro-oncol- was the mystery of the brain, E.P. Richardson and Ray ment Disorders Society, a mem- ogy, in particular paraneoplas- and during my studies in college Adams at the Massachusetts study as Charles Miller ber society of the World Fed- tic and neurotoxic effects, neu- my interest was neurology. General Hospital. Back at Fisher did for the eration of Neurology. romuscular disorders, In 1981, I received my med- Liège University, my academ- understanding and I also am active with several palliative care, and education. ical degree from the National ic career has been devoted to treatment of stroke. lay foundations, including the I am convinced that neurolo- University of Tucumán (UNT) teaching functional neu- PAGE 12 Dystonia Medical Research gy needs strong representation, and later became certified as a roanatomy and neurology, set- Foundation, and I serve as the nationally and internationally, clinical neurologist by the Na- ting up a clinical unit for scientific director of the to ensure the best services for tional Academy of Medicine headache care and research, Parkinson’s Disease Founda- patients with neurological dis- and then by the Certification and performing research in Jordan tion. My activities with patient eases. The triad of science, prac- Board of Medical Specialties of spinal cord regeneration and The influential Dr. Ashraf organizations also include my tical academic and nonacadem- the Medical College, National animal migraine models. Al-Kurdi of the Pan-Arab founding of the not-for-profit ic neurology, and advocacy for University of Tucumán. In or- Throughout my career I have Union of Neurological World Parkinson Coalition in neurology, is my core. der to have a greater holistic thus been combining teaching, Societies helped to spread 2004, of which I am President. Education has been the focus view of the patient, I also ob- clinical management, and clin- neurological expertise The World Parkinson Coali- in the Austrian Society of Neu- tained a Master’s degree in psy- ical as well as basic research. tion was founded as the parent rology, the European Federa- choneuroiummunoen- I also have had extensive ex- throughout the Middle body to organize the World tion of Neurological Societies, docrinology from the Favaloro perience in setting up and run- East. PAGE 14 See Fahn Trustee • page 6 See Grisold Trustee • page 6 See Pelli-Noble Trustee • page 7 See Schoenen Trustee • page 6 In This Issue of WORLD NEUROLOGY Dr. Johan A. Aarli, the new editor in chief of WORLD NEUROLOGY, recounts the history of the newsletter. See Page 2 The World Federation of Neurology is now calling for nominations for the next WFN medal awards. See Page 2 01_07wfn12_5.qxp 6/7/2012 2:21 PM Page 2 2 • WORLD NEUROLOGY WWW.WFNEUROLOGY.ORG • JUNE 2012 EDITOR IN CHIEF’S COLUMN Nominations For Next WFN The Many Faces of World Neurology Medal Awards ark Hallett The First WFN Journal Thus, Gilbert H. Glaser wrote in Mserved as Charles Poser had suggested to Ludo French on “Les cortico-stéroides et Now Accepted editor in chief of van Bogaert in March 1959 that the l´ACTH dans les affections nerveuses”; WORLD NEUROL- WFN needed its own journal for the John Walton in German on “Die pro- he trustees of the World Federation OGY from July publication of research news and also gressive Muskeldystrophie – gegenwär- Tof Neurology are now calling for 2008 to April as a forum for announcements of tiger Forschungsstand;” and Sigvald Ref- nominations for the next WFN medals. 2012. He is a meetings of the “problem commis- sum in Spanish on “Heredopathia There are two medals: one for Service to JOHAN A. AARLI, MD neurologist with sions” and reports from national and atáctica polyneuritiformis: Reconsid- International Neurology and one for Sci- special knowl- international meetings in neurology. eración.” entific Achievement in Neurology. Each edge in movement disorders and clinical Poser became Some of the papers published in award carries an honorarium of $5,000. neurophysiology, and he also held the the editor in WORLD NEUROLOGY have remained clas- Nominations may be made by WFN role of editor in chief of Clinical Neu- chief, with van sics in their field. In 1960, Leonard Kur- member societies or by individual mem- rophysiology for 8 years, thus giving Bogaert and land and his colleagues wrote on “Mi- bers of a member society. They should him a firm basis in editing. Pearce Bailey namata Disease. The outbreak of a be seconded by at least five neurolo- During his editorship, Mark has led serving as asso- neurologic disorder in Minamata, gists, of whom at least three should be the newsletter through a series of tech- ciate editors. Japan, and its relationship to the inges- from other WFN member societies. nical and ad- The first issue tion of seafood contaminated by mer- The nominated individual should have ministrative de- was published curic compounds.” In 1962, Pruzanski approved his or her nomination and the velopments in July 1960. and Altman wrote on “Encephalitis due principal proposer should write a citation that have help- The new to West Nile Fever virus.” There was an of no more than 300 words in support of ed to develop journal had an CHARLES POSER, MD epidemic in 1959 in Morocco of 10,000 the nomination. The medal committee its usefulness ambitious pro- cases of myelopolyneuropathy due to will be made up of the current president and education- gram. Poser wrote in his first editorial: criminally contaminated cooking oil, of the WFN and either two of his pre- al value. He in- “Right from the beginning we are em- which was meticulously described by decessors or two WFN trustees of the troduced the phasizing the international and multi- Geoffroy and colleagues. president’s choice. series “Profiles lingual nature of this publication as In retrospect, publishing articles in The medals will be awarded during the in Neurology,” well as the variety of the aspects of neu- four different languages was too ambi- 2013 World Congress of Neurology in which present- MARK HALLETT, MD rology which we hope to cover.” He tious and time consuming. Poser real- Vienna (Austria). ed medical care added that “World Neurology … re- ized that standards for reviewing man- Nominations must arrive by Oct. 12. practices in neurology from around quests review papers on current con- uscripts varied considerably around the All nominations should be sent to: the world, as well as “Neurological cepts and recent advances in their field world. The traditions of the referee sys- The WFN Medals Committee Pearls,” starting with Ramsay Hunt of endeavor from authorities in clinical tems varied. There were considerable c/o Keith Newton syndrome. He began including news and basic neurology and the allied dis- differences in traditions for the presen- Executive Director from national neurological societies, ciplines. These are then translated into tation of data, and spelling, usage, style, WFN London Office always well illustrated with pho- English, French, German, or Spanish, in and grammar varied. The number of Hill House tographs and figures. Thank you, Mark! each case, a language different from subscriptions increased very slowly. Heron Square To put Mark’s spectacular job into per- the one most often used by the author. Not unexpectedly, disagreements on Richmond spective, let me take you through a An article in any language is followed by editorial policy appeared. Gilbert Surrey brief presentation of the many faces of comprehensive abstracts in the other TW9 1EP WORLD NEUROLOGY.