THE 40TH INTERNATIONAL DANUBE SYMPOSIUM
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 6TH CONGRESS OF
THE ROMANIAN SOCIETY OF NEUROLOGY
MAY 21ST-24TH, 2008
SINAIA, ROMANIA
SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM
WEDNESDAY, MAY 21ST
09.00 Opening of the registration desk
Hall A
10.30 – 12.30 Teaching course: Evidence based medicine
Chairpersons: M. Davidson, O. Bajenaru
10.30 – 11.00 B.O. Popescu (Romania) – Where does it start the idea of a new treatment? Relevance of experimental medicine for progression to real drugs.
11.00 – 11.30 D.F. Muresanu (Romania) – Phase II and III clinical studies
11.30 – 12.00 M. Davidson (Israel) – Strengths and weaknesses of evidence-based medicine
(EBM) and evidence-based decision making (EBDM)
12.00 – 12.30 O. Bajenaru (Romania) – Why do we need new drugs and new clinical studies?
12.30 – 14.30 Lunch
14.30 – 16.30 Session of the Romanian Society for the Study of Neuroprotection and
Neuroplasticity (SSNN)
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Chairpersons: N.M. Bornstein, D.F. Muresanu
14.30 – 14.55 N.M. Bornstein (Israel) – Neuroprotection and neurorecovery in stroke
14.55 – 15.20 J. Thome (United Kingdom) – Neurotrophic factors and depression
15.20 – 15.45 M. Anca-Herschkovitsch (Israel) – Looking for a neuroprotective strategy in
movement disorders
15.45 – 16.05 B.O. Popescu (Romania) – The contribution of the blood brain barrier to
neurodegeneration in dementia
16.05 – 16.30 D.F. Muresanu (Romania) – Neurorecovery regulation by neurotrophic factors
16.30 – 17.00 Coffee break
17.00 – 18.30 Scientific symposium: Do we treat Mild Cognitive Impairment?
Chairperson: O. Bajenaru
17.00 – 17.30 M. Simu (Romania) – Pathogenic mechanisms in Alzheimer’s disease
17.30 – 18.00 G. Prada (Romania) – The complex impact of Alzheimer’s disease in the elderly
18.00 – 18.30 O. Bajenaru (Romania) – Treatment of Mild Cognitive Impairment – clinical
studies update
19.00 Welcome reception
THURSDAY, MAY 22ND
Hall A and B
08.00 – 08.20 Opening ceremony of the 40th International Danube Symposium for Neurological
Sciences and Continuing Education, organized in conjunction with the 6th Congress of the
Romanian Society of Neurology
Chairpersons: O. Bajenaru, F. Gerstenbrand, C. Popa, L. Vecsei
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08.20 – 08.40 W. Grisold (Austria) – The mission of UEMS in the European Neurology
08.40 – 09.40 ‘Gheorghe Marinescu’ honorary lecture
V. Hachinski (Canada) – The insidious threat: silent cerebrovascular and Alzheimer’s
disease
09.40 – 10.00 Coffee break
10.00 – 11.30 Plenary session: Dementia
Chairpersons: A. Korczyn, G. Ransmayr
10.00 – 10.25 E.C. Toescu (United Kingdom) – The vulnerability of aged brain
10.25 – 10.50 A. Korczyn (Israel) – Depression and dementia
10.50 – 11.10 G. Ransmayr (Austria) – Difficulties in the treatment of dementia with Lewy
bodies
11.10 – 11.30 S. Szatmari (Romania), D. Bereczki (Hungary) – An important database for the
treatment of dementia: The Cochrane Library
11.30 – 12.00 Coffee break
12.00 – 13.30 Scientific symposium: Antiplatelet treatment in stroke prevention
Chairperson: O. Bajenaru
12.00 – 12.45 S. Tuta (Romania) – Risk of atherothrombotic events in patients with
cerebrovascular disease
12.45 – 13.30 O. Bajenaru (Romania) – Antiplatelet therapy options in patients with
concomitant cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular diseases
13.30 – 14.30 Lunch
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Parallel sessions
Hall A
14.30 – 16.00 Oral session: Stroke (I)
Chairpersons: N.M. Bornstein, A. Czlonkowska
14.30 – 14.55 D. Bereczki (Hungary) – Anticoagulants and antiplatelets in acute stroke
14.55 – 15.20 N.M. Bornstein (Israel) – Secondary stroke prevention
15.20 – 15.40 A. Czlonkowska (Poland) – Stroke in women
15.40 – 16.00 C. Tiu (Romania) – Stroke in children and adolescents
Hall B
14.30 – 16.00 Oral session: Neuroprotection and Neuroplasticity
Chairpersons: B.O. Popescu, L. Vecsei
14.30 – 14.55 L. Vecsei (Hungary) – How to improve endogenous neuroprotection
14.55 – 15.20 M. Gerlach (Germany) – The conceptual limits of neuroprotective clinical trials
in Parkinsons’s disease: Is there a solution?
15.20 – 15.40 B.O. Popescu (Romania) – Mechanisms of cell death and neuroprotection in
Alzheimer’s disease
15.40 – 16.00 S. Baloyannis (Greece) - Cajal-Retzius cells in the visual cortex in early cases of
Alzheimer’s disease: A Golgi and Electron Microscope study
Hall C
14.30 – 16.00 Oral session: Neuroethics
Chairpersons: F. Gerstenbrand, I. Pascu
14.30 – 15.00 F. Gerstenbrand (Austria) – The right and the ethical obligation for a care in
severest neurological conditions
15.00 – 15.30 I. Pascu (Romania) – Placebo-controlled trials
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15.30 – 16.00 A. Korczyn (Israel) – Research in demented people
16.30 – 17.00 Coffee break
Parallel sessions
Hall A
17.00 – 18.30 Oral session: Stroke (II)
Chairpersons: D. Bereczki, L. Perju-Dumbrava
17.00 – 17.25 C. Popa, S. Tuta (Romania) - Follow-up and treatment of middle cerebral
arteries stenosis
17.25 – 17.45 H. Muresian, A. Nistorescu, R. Nistorescu, D. Mihalcescu (Romania) –
Simultaneous bilateral carotid endarterectomy
17.45 – 18.05 R. Nechifor, B. Dorobat, L. Tomescu, G. Iana (Romania) - Endovascular
treatment of cerebral aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations
18.05 – 18.30 F. Antochi, B. Dorobat, R. Nechifor (Romania) – Carotid endarterectomy
versus carotid angioplasty
Hall B
17.00 – 18.30 Oral session: Neurorehabilitation
Chairpersons: J.A. Opara, C.D. Popescu
17.00 – 17.30 H. Binder (Austria) - New methods of brain stimulation in post-stroke
rehabilitation
17.30 – 18.00 J.A. Opara (Poland) - Redefinition of spasticity and rehabilitation
18.00 – 18.30 C.D. Popescu, V. Bohotin, B. Ignat, C. Bohotin (Romania) - Reorganization of
motor area under active and passive movement in patients with stroke: a transcranial
magnetic stimulation study
Hall C
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17.00 – 18.30 Oral session: Epilepsy
Chairpersons: C. Panea, D. Schmidt
17.00 – 17.25 D. Schmidt (Germany) - Long-term seizure outcome of epilepsy treatment
17.25 – 17.50 S. Magureanu (Romania) – Particularities of epilepsy in children
17.50 – 18.10 C. Panea (Romania) - From guidelines to real life: a realistic approach of adult
epilepsy’s management in Romanian space
18.10 – 18.30 R. Gilad, N. Iskovitz, R. Dabby, A. Rapoport, M. Sadeh, Y. Lampl, B. Weller
(Israel) – Treatment of status epilepticus and acute repetitive seizures with iv valproic acid
versus phenytoin
Parallel scientific symposia
Hall A
18.30 – 20.00 Scientific symposium: Innovating treatments for CNS diseases
Chairperson: C.D. Popescu
18.30 – 19.00 O. Bajenaru (Romania) – Levetiracetam – the beginning of a new era in the
treatment of epilepsy
19.00 – 19.30 C.D. Popescu (Romania) – Rotigotine – an efficient option for continous
dopaminergic stimulation
19.30 – 20.00 I. Mindruta (Romania) – Oxybate – the first pharmacological treatment for
narcolepsy with cataplexy
Hall B
18.30 – 20.00 Scientific symposium: Alzheimer’s disease - one century later
Chairperson: M. Davidson
18.30 – 19.00 B.O. Popescu (Romania) – Alzheimer’s disease treatment - symptomatic
benefits and beyond
19.00 – 19.30 M. Davidson (Israel) - Comparative safety and tolerability of Alzheimer’s
disease treatments
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19.30 – 20.00 A special moment dedicated to Alzheimer’s disease patients and carers
Hall C
18.30 – 20.00 Scientific symposium: Optimal pharmacological treatment in epilepsy
Chairperson: S. Magureanu
18.30 – 19.15 S. Magureanu (Romania) – New evidence for efficacy of sodium valproate in
treatment of generalized and partial epilepsy
19.15 – 20.00 L. Perju-Dumbrava (Romania) – The risks of switch to generic drugs in epilepsy
treatment
FRIDAY, MAY 23RD
07.00 – 08.30 Poster session I: sections of cerebrovascular disorders, epilepsy, migraine,
neuroethics, neuroinfections, neurooncology, sleep disorders and varia.
Chairpersons: N.M. Bornstein, J.A. Opara, L. Vecsei.
Posters from these sections can be mounted from Thursday, May 22nd, 18.00 and must be removed
until Friday, May 23rd, 17.00.
Hall A and B
08.30 – 10.00 Plenary session: Movement disorders (I)
Chairpersons: V. Kostic, D. Truong
08.30 – 08.55 D. Truong (USA) - Impulse control disorders and Parkinson’s disease
08.55 – 09.20 F. Alesch (Austria) – Deep brain stimulation in dystonia
09.20 – 09.40 C. Scherfler (Austria) – The role of imaging in the clinical work-up of
parkinsonism
09.40 – 10.00 V. Kostic (Serbia) – Secondary dystonias
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10.00 – 10.30 Coffee break
Parallel sessions
Hall A
10.30 – 12.00 Oral session: Multiple sclerosis
Chairpersons: J. Drulovic, D. Karussis
10.30 – 10.50 D. Karussis (Israel) – Neuroprotection in multiple sclerosis: focus on the
potential use of stem cells
10.50 – 11.05 R. Balasa (Romania) – Remyelination in multiple sclerosis
11.05 – 11.25 J. Drulovic (Serbia) – Quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis
11.25 – 11.40 C. Ionete (USA) – New therapeutic options in multiple sclerosis – phase 3
clinical trials
11.40 – 12.00 Y. Dokova, I. Milanov (Bulgaria) - Adherence and compliance and related
cognitive impairments in patients with multiple sclerosis on immunomodulatory treatment
Hall B
10.30 – 12.00 YNT session
Chairmen: C. Falup-Pecurariu, W. Struhal
10.30 – 10.45 W. Struhal (Austria) – Information on the new pan-European Neurology
examination
10.45 – 11.00 F. Gerstenbrand (Austria), W.Struhal (Austria) – Ethical rules in diagnosis,
treatment and rehabilitation of neurological patients
11.00 – 11.15 A. Korczyn (Israel) – The value and limitations of Evidence Based Medicine
11.15 – 11.30 L. Vécsei (Hungary) – The Hungarian Brain Council: Future Activities
11.30 – 11.45 I. Pascu (Romania) – Philosophical and ethical aspects of brain death
11.45 – 12.00 C. Falup-Pecurariu (Romania) – Topics in the YNT activities
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Hall C
10.30 – 12.00 Oral session: Neurooncology
Chairpersons: Z. Ram, R. Soffietti
10.30 – 10.55 R. Soffietti (Italy) – New perspectives in the management of gliomas: clinical
and translational aspects
10.55 – 11.15 Z. Ram (Israel) – High grade glioma: emerging therapies
11.15 – 11.40 O. Bajenaru (Romania) – Diagnosis challenges for the neurologist in general
oncology
11.40 – 12.00 R. Tanasescu, M. Ticmeanu (Romania), P. Beauchesne, L. Taillandier (Franta) –
A neuroimmunological aproach to CNS neoplastic disease: the way to immunotherapy
Parallel scientific symposia
Hall A
12.00 – 13.30 Scientific symposium: Glatiramer acetate in treatment of multiple sclerosis
Chairperson: T. Ziemssen
12.00 – 12.30 R. Balasa (Romania) - Binding and neutralizing antibodies to IFN B during the
treatment of multiple sclerosis
12.30 – 13.00 T. Ziemssen (Germany) – Neuroprotection in multiple sclerosis
13.00 – 13.30 M. Simu (Romania) – Evidence based data about disease modifying therapies
in multiple sclerosis
Hall B
12.00 – 13.30 Scientific symposium: Shouldn't dopaminergic control be continuous?
Chairperson: F. Stocchi
12.00 – 12.20 L. Perju-Dumbrava (Romania) - The unmet needs of the patients with
Parkinson’s disease
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12.20 – 12.45 A. Korczyn (Israel) – Continous dopaminergic stimulation benefits
12.45 – 13.05 B.O. Popescu (Romania) – The development of continous dopaminergic
therapy delivery
13.05 – 13.30 F. Stocchi (Italy) – Clinical perspectives on continous dopaminergic therapy
Hall C
12.00 – 13.30 Scientific symposium: The transdermal patch - a new therapeutic option in the
management of dementia
Chairperson: O. Bajenaru
12.00 – 12.30 M. Simu (Romania) – The importance of dual cholinesterase inhibition in
Alzheimer’s disease
12.30 – 13.00 C. Tudose (Romania) – Rationale for a rivastigmine transdermal patch in
dementia
13.00 – 13.30 O. Bajenaru (Romania) – IDEAL Study - The first transdermal patch in
Alzheimer's disease
13.30 – 14.30 Lunch
13.30 – 14.30 Meeting of the Danubian Executive Board
Parallel sessions
Hall A
14.30 – 16.00 Workshop: The management of multiple sclerosis in Danubian countries (round
table with active participation of the representatives of Danubian countries)
Chairpersons: C. Tiu, L. Vecsei
Hall B
14.30 – 16.00 Oral session: Movement disorders (II)
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Chairperson: Z. Pirtosek, P. Riederer
14.30 – 14.55 Z. Pirtosek (Slovenia) – Psychogenic movement disorders
14.55 – 15.15 O. Bajenaru, A. Ene, I. Mindruta, D. Popescu (Romania) – Treatment with
botulinic toxin in neurological disorders
15.15 – 15.40 P. Riederer (Germany) – Continous dopaminergic stimulation: fact or fiction?
15.40 – 16.00 M. Relja (Croatia) – Continuous dopaminergic stimulation: Where we are
now?
Hall C
14.30 – 16.00 Oral session: Peripheral neuropathies
Chairpersons: I. Milanov, M. Relja
14.30 – 14.45 C. Pottier (Romania) – Molecular diagnosis of inheritable neuromuscular
disorders
14.45 – 15.05 I. Mindruta, S. Radesi, O. Bajenaru (Romania) – Immune response in chronic
inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy
15.05 – 15.20 T. Lupescu, R. Gheorghe, C.A. Sirbu, D. Constantin – Mechanical nerve lesions
15.20 – 15.40 M. Moldovan, C. Krarup (Denmark) – Persistent abnormalities in excitability of
regenerated nerves
15.40 – 16.00 W. Struhal, H. Lahrmann (Austria) – Autonomic testing: assets and drawbacks
of time domain and frequency domain methods
16.00 – 16.30 Coffee break
Parallel scientific symposia
Hall A
16.30 – 18.00 Scientific symposium: Maximizing the benefits of multiple sclerosis treatment
Chairperson: R. Balasa
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16.30 – 17.00 C.D. Popescu (Romania) – Multiple sclerosis therapy: choosing the right
treatment
17.00 – 17.30 R. Balasa (Romania) - The benefit of early treatment in multiple sclerosis
17.30 – 18.00 C. Panea (Romania) - The impact of early treatment with IFN beta-1b on
sustained neurological impairment.
Hall B
16.30 – 18.00 Scientific symposium: Pramipexol – more than motor control in Parkinson’s disease
and restless legs syndrome
Chairperson: L. Perju-Dumbrava
16.30 – 17.00 A. Frasineanu (Romania) – Motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s
disease
17.00 – 17.30 C.D. Popescu (Romania) – Pramipexol in depression management in
Parkinson’s disease
17.30 – 18.00 L. Perju-Dumbrava (Romania) – Pramipexol – proved efficacy in restless legs
syndrome
Hall C
16.30 – 18.00 Scientific symposium: Actualities and perspectives in the topic of neuropathies
Chairperson: K. Reiners
16.30 – 17.00 O. Bajenaru (Romania) – Benfotiamin – neuroplasticity and neuroprotection.
The importance of microangiopathy in diabetic neuropathy.
17.00 – 17.30 K. Reiners (Germany) – Current aspects in diagnosing and treating diabetic
neuropathy
17.30 – 18.00 M. Milanova (Bulgaria) – Neuropathies – the Bulgarian experience in diagnosis
and treatment
Parallel scientific symposia
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Hall A
18.00 – 19.30 Scientific symposium: Natalizumab - targeting alfa4 integrins - another way to fight
multiple sclerosis.
Chairman: C.D. Popescu (Romania)
18.00 – 18.30 D. Karussis (Israel) – Natalizumab – efficacy data
18.30 – 19.00 C. Tiu (Romania) – Natalizumab – safety evaluation
19.00 – 19.30 N. Putzki (Germany) – The patient algorithm for therapeutical option
Hall B
18.00 – 19.30 Scientific symposium: Alleviating neuropathic pain – the current options
Chairperson: O. Bajenaru
18.00 – 18.45 O. Bajenaru (Romania) – Mechanisms of neuropathic pain
18.45 – 19.30 E. Copaciu (Romania) – Actual guidelines in pharmacological treatment of
neuropathic pain
Hall C
18.00 – 19.30 Scientific symposium: Vestibular disorders: from diagnosis to treatment - state of
the art
Chiarperson: H. Kingma
18.00 – 18.25 S. Butković-Soldo (Croatia) – Vertigo from neurologist´s point of view
18.25 – 18.45 I. Marginean (Romania) – Therapeutical approaches in vertigo – Integrated
balance therapy
18.45 – 19.05 L. Perju Dumbrava (Romania) – The role of betahistine in the treatment
vestibular vertigo
19.05 – 19.30 H. Kingma (The Netherlands) – Evaluation and treatment of the patient with
benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
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20.00 Faculty Gala Dinner
SATURDAY, MAY 24TH
07.00 – 08.30 Poster session II: sections of dementia, movement disorders, peripheral
neuropathies, multiple sclerosis, and myasthenia gravis and muscle disorders.
Chairpersons: S. Baloyannis, M. Gerlach, I. Pascu.
Posters from these sections can be mounted from Friday, May 23rd, 18.00 and must be removed
until Saturday, May 24th, 13.00.
Hall A and B
08.30 – 10.00 Plenary session: Myasthenia gravis
Chairpersons: S.A. Apostolski, F. Stefanache
08.30 – 08.55 C. Vilciu, A. Campeanu, A. Dulamea et al. (Romania) – Myasthenia gravis –
diagnosis and treatment
08.55 – 09.20 R. Vizeteu, B. Smeu, M. Damian, A. Stoica (Romania) - Video-assisted
thoracoscopic extended thymectomy (VATET) with cervical approach for non-thymomatous
myasthenia gravis.
09.20 – 09.40 D. Maslarov, N. Velkov (Bulgaria) - Anticholinesterase treatment of
myasthenia gravis - optimizing the daily dosage, distribution and ingestion scheme
09.40 – 10.00 A. Dulamea, C. Vilciu, A. Campeanu et al. (Romania) - Myasthenia gravis
associated with autoimmune diseases
10.00 – 10.30 Special Conference
Z. Lackovic (Croatia) – PhD studies in Danubian countries – the Orpheus program
10.30 – 11.30 Session of late breaking news in neurological sciences
11.30 – 12.00 Closure of the 40th International Danube Symposium for Neurological Sciences and
Continuing Education
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12.00 – 12.15 Coffee break
12.15 – 13.15 General Assembly of Romanian Society of Neurology (attendance restricted to
members of RSN).
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