SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME
PRE CONGRESS SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES
ASEPA EEG Certification Examinations
Part I (Written) Examination:
The next Part I Examination will be conducted on Thursday, 15th
May 2008 from 08:30 – 11:30 in Xiamen during the 7th
Asian & Oceanian Epilepsy Congress. Application for this Part I
Examination must be submitted by 15th April 2008. For an application
form, please click
here. Please fax the application form and the verification form
from a candidate’s trainer(s) to the Secretariat Office (Fax:
+65-6220-3321).
Part II (Oral) Examination:
For those who have passed the Part I Examination and wish to
sit for Part 2 Examination on Sunday, 18th May 2008 from 13:30
– 18:00 in Xiamen, during the 7th Asian & Oceanian
Epilepsy Congress, please write to Dr Shih-Hui LIM directly at lim.shih.hui@sgh.com.sg
for more details.
ASEPA Educational Course in Translational Research;
in conjunction with the Subcommission on Basic Research of the Educational
Commission: Ion Channels and Epileptogenesis.
A special highlight of this congress is the Educational Course
“Ion Channels and Epileptogenesis” on the afternoon of Wednesday
14th May and the morning of Thursday 15th May which is held under the
auspices of Asepa and organized by the Subcommission on Basic Research
of the Educational Commission of the ILAE. The target group are young
postgraduates and PhD students with a research interest (clinical or
basic science) in epilepsy. They will receive lectures from a selection
of senior international scientists that focus on the role of channelopathies
in epilepsy, their contribution to the genetics of epilepsy and their
impact on our nosological understanding of the epilepsies. In the evening
of 14th May, the participants will have the possibility to further pursue
discussions with the lecturers at a light diner.
In addition, the course will set the scene for the establishment of international research cooperation in the region and beyond. The focus will be on South-South networking in liaison with the Academy of Science of the Developing World (TWAS), represented by one of the course directors, Dr. Esper Cavalheiro.
Institutes and Centres who are interested in this project are invited to a brainstorm discussion in the evening of 14th May and a planning meeting at the end of the course. We therefore hope that the course will provide an important step forward with the development of a global research agenda in epilepsy.
To download the full course programme, click here.
ILAE / CAOA Chapter ConventionThe ILAE / CAOA Chapter Convention will take place on Thursday 15th May from 11:30 to 14:00, with participants gathering from 11:00. The Agenda of this Convention will be sent to all Chapter Representatives before the meeting.
MAIN SESSIONS
Chairman’s Symposium: “Addressing Stigma”
Shichuo Li (China), Susanne Lund (Sweden) and Peter Wolf (Denmark)
preEpilepsy was first recognized four thousand years ago and in some parts of the world the perception of the condition has changed little in the intervening centuries. Epilepsy is not only a medical diagnosis; it is also a social label and the social circumstances attaching to epilepsy can be more difficult to deal with than the epilepsy itself. Stigma has no boundaries. In developing countries people with epilepsy are sometimes still denied basic human rights: the right to education, the right to employment and even the right to marriage. In the industrialised world too, people with epilepsy can face stigma at every stage of life.
Fifty million people in the world have epilepsy. Nearly half live in the Asian Oceanian Region. It's therefore relevant to start this congress by addressing this sometimes devastating consequence of epilepsy. The symposium will review research findings on the nature of stigma in epilepsy and the negative affect of stigma on the quality of life of people with epilepsy in different parts of the Region. Clarification of the factors generating stigma of epilepsy and identification of strategies how to cope are crucial parts to address stigma caused by discrimination and lack of knowledge and understanding. The goal of this symposium is to bring new perspectives in the field of stigma, to analyse the impact of stigma within the individual as well as the family, to highlight the role of individuals in the general public and focus on the reasons why isolation and discrimination still are part of our societies.
Diagnostic Issues in Paediatric Epileptology
Ingrid Scheffer (Australia) & Jiong Qin (China)
What is Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome in the Modern Era?
Hirokazu Oguni (Japan)
Are Absence Seizures Syndrome Specific?
Lynette Sadleir (New Zealand)
Febrile Seizures: Translational Research from Mice to Men
Jiong Qin (China)
The clinician is faced daily with the prospect of making complex diagnoses
in children presenting with seizure disorders. Epilepsy syndromes underpin
the clinicians’ practice and aid in defining the aetiology, management
and prognosis for each child. Knowledge about syndromes is constantly
evolving and is in subtle ways a “moving target”. In this
session, key questions will be addressed. With the advent of improved
imaging and neurophysiology studies, what exactly is Lennox-Gastaut
syndrome today? Is it rare or common? There is considerable debate about
whether absence seizures have features that are syndrome specific. Do
absence seizures in Childhood Absence Epilepsy look different to absence
seizures in Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy? What does the evidence tell
us? Drawing upon animal models, what do they tell us that can translate
to knowledge regarding febrile seizures in children?
Moving to therapy, what is new or controversial in anti-epileptic therapy
for children? This update will cover key topics such as new anti-epileptic
drugs (AED), seizure exacerbation and controversies in choosing the
best AED for a specific syndrome. Published evidence will be presented
about which new AED are indicated for which seizure types and syndromes.
When should the clinician be wary about seizure exacerbation? Specific
factors regarding AED and syndromes will be discussed. New data regarding
efficacy of various AED in the severe syndrome of infantile spasms will
be presented. Many countries cannot afford the new AED. What is the
best balance where economics limit access to AED for the common scenario
of a child presenting with partial seizures? This session will impact
on clinical practice in paediatric epileptology.
Surgical Treatment of Symptomatic Epilepsy
in Asia
Tatsuya Tanaka (Japan) & Guoming Luan (China)
Basic Concept and Experimental Approach to the Symptomatic Epilepsy
Tatsuya Tanaka (Japan)
Surgical Treatment of Chronic Epilepsy with Intracranial Neoplasm and
Vascular Lesion
Jung-Kyo Lee (Korea)
Surgery for Epilepsy due to Malformation of Cortical Development and
Other Congenital Lesions
Guoming Luan (China)
Surgery for Epilepsy due to CNS Infection
P. Sarat Chandra (India)
Idiopathic epilepsy has no known cause and the person has no other signs of neurological disease. Symptomatic epilepsy may be the result of an acquired insult or an indication of an underlying process, such as developmental disease, stroke, head injury, infectious disease, brain tumour, poisoning or cerebral palsy. It also may result from a problem within the developing brain due to intrauterine disease. The seizures of symptomatic epilepsy often are focal but can be generalized.
In most large studies of people with epilepsy, 20% of seizures are considered to be symptomatic and the remainder either idiopathic (30%) or cryptogenic (50%). The data and studies of symptomatic epilepsy in Asian Oceanian countries are still lacking. Consequently, actual positioning of surgical treatment including basic study for the symptomatic epilepsy is extremely important in Asian Oceanian regions.
In this session, the following topics will be discussed:
(i) Basic concept and experimental approach to the symptomatic epilepsy
(ii) Migration disorders and congenital lesions
(iii) Tumour and vascular lesion
(iv) Infectious disease in Asia
Epilepsy Genetics – Towards Daily Practice
Patrick Kwan (Hong Kong) & Weiping Liao (China)
Genetics of Common Epilepsies
Samuel Berkovic (Australia)
Genetic Testing for Non-Familial Epilepsies
Weiping Liao (China)
Epilepsy Pharmacogenetics: Promises and Challenges
Patrick Kwan (Hong Kong)
Like other medical disciplines, the impact of genetics in the management of epilepsy is increasingly felt. In recent years, a number of familial epilepsy syndromes caused by single gene mutations have been identified. It is noted that not all monogenetic epilepsies are shown to be familial. Severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy is an example. Genetic testing is necessary to confirm the diagnosis in such cases. The significance and challenge for genetic testing is what we have to face in clinical practice.
Although the list of putative gene mutations is expanding, they represent only a very small fraction of all epilepsies. For the majority of patients, their epilepsies are thought to be complex disorders with multiple susceptibility genes interacting with various environmental factors. There have been recent attempts to identify the genetic susceptibility for these common epilepsy syndromes using association studies of candidate genes. Overall, the results from these studies have been disappointing so far. In a comprehensive review of over 50 such studies, it was concluded that “no consistent or convincing susceptibility genes have emerged”.
Epilepsy remains uncontrolled by medication in up to 30% of patients. This situation is not expected to dramatically improve despite the availability of newer compounds in the coming years. One possible avenue to unravel the pathogenesis of pharmacoresistance is pharmacogenomics, which holds the potential to inform prescription of existing drugs or develop novel compounds based on the individual patients’ genetic profiles. The discipline is in its infancy in epilepsy research and many conceptual and technical hurdles remain to be overcome before its clinical impact can be anticipated. This is exemplified by the conflicting findings reported for an association between 3435C>T polymorphism of the major CNS drug transporter gene ABCB1 and drug resistant in epilepsy.
In this session, speakers will update the development in identifying susceptibility genetic markers for the common epilepsy syndromes and for prediction of drug response, and discuss how the knowledge can be translated into clinical practice.
Epilepsy and Comorbidities
Satish Jain (India) & Liwen Wu (China)
Neurobehavioural and Neurocognotive Comorbidity
ES Krishnamoorthy (India)
Epilepsy and Autism
Seiji Kugimiya (Japan)
Medical Comorbidities (including HIV/AIDs)
Hasan Aziz (Pakistan)
Epilepsy and Headaches
Leonor Cabral Lim
Comorbidity is the occurrence together of more than one condition in
the same patient. Epilepsy being a chronic and recurring disorder in
most patients, there can be many co-existing conditions that may precede,
co-exist, or follow the diagnosis of epilepsy. Further, a co-existing
condition can also be the cause of epilepsy or can be associated with
epilepsy via common etiologic or shared risk factors. The existing comorbid
condition can also have an influence on the outcome from epilepsy. On
the other hand, epilepsy itself may be the cause of an existing co-morbid
condition like low social self esteem and depression. Knowledge about
the comorbidities in a common disorder like epilepsy helps us to provide
better medical care to those having epilepsy. Information on comorbidities
among people with epilepsy is also important while planning for the
health services for a given population.
There is an increased risk of many conditions to co-exist with epilepsy
among children, adults and even the elderly. Non-epileptic disorders
of the brain perhaps out number all other conditions among those that
are known to co-exist with epilepsy. Various medical disorders are also
frequent comorbid conditions as epilepsy is a common condition affecting
people of all age groups. The planned session will focus on some of
these common comorbid conditions. There will be talks by experts on
neurobehavioral and neurocognitive comorbidity, medical comorbidity
(to include HIV/AIDS), autism existing with epilepsy and the impact
of comorbid conditions on the outcome from epilepsy.
POST MAIN SESSIONS
Social Issues
Prahlad Sethi (India) & Hideomoto Kubota (Japan)
The Impact of Epilepsy on Family and Relationship
Prahlad Sethi (India)
The Effect of Epilepsy on Work and Leisure
Hideomoto Kubota (Japan)
Sports and Safety in Epilepsy
Khen-Seang Lim (Malaysia)
Overcoming the Prejudices
Zhen Hong (China)
Therapeutic Issues in Paediatric Epileptology
Lai-Choo Ong (Malaysia) & Anannit Visudtibhan (Thailand)
Controversies in Management of Infantile Spasms
Nico Moshe (USA)
New AEDs for Children
Anannit Visudtibhan (Thailand)
Seizures Exacerbated by AEDs in Children
Lai-Choo Ong (Malaysia)
Pharmaco-economic Considerations in Treating Children with Partial
Onset Seizures in the Asian Oceanian Region
Nandan Yardi (India)
Childhood onset epilepsy is distinctly different from adult epilepsy,
with epilepsy syndromes that are unique to the paediatric population.
The response and adverse effects of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) may also
differ in children. Yet the antiepileptic drugs currently available
had been developed with the adult population in mind; only in recent
years have there been some studies looking at the paediatric epilepsy
syndromes, mainly with the newer AEDs. In this session, controversies
in the management of infantile spasms and the use of the newer AEDs
in childhood epilepsy will be discussed. The issues of seizures exacerbation
by AEDs in children and the pharmaco-economic considerations in treating
childhood epilepsy in the Asian-Oceanian region will also be covered.
Neurosurgical Treatment of Paediatric Epilepsy
Tai-Tong Wong (Taiwan) & Dong-Seok Kim (Korea)
Lesionectomy with and without Mapping and Removal of Epileptogenic
Zone
Bomin Sun (China)
Callosotomy versus Vagus Nerve Stimulation
Tai-Tong Wong (Taiwan)
Resective Surgery for Symptomatic Epilepsies in Children - Surgical
Indication and Prognosis
Otsuki Taisuke (Japan)
Comparative Surgical Strategies of Hypothalamic Hamartoma
Dong-Seok Kim (Korea)
Intractable epilepsy occurred in more than 10% of children in reported literatures. Among them, the majority was the patients of non-idiopathic localization-related epilepsy or cryptogenic/symptomatic generalized syndromes. Drug resistant epilepsy is often catastrophic in children. The managements include new antiepileptic drugs, ketogenic diet and neurosurgical treatment.
For surgical treatment of intractable epilepsy in children, one approach is resective surgery for lesional partial epilepsy when the epileptogenic tissue/region is localized and is resectable. The related etiologies include hemispheric or cortical dysplasia of brain, hypothalamic hamartoma, tumours, vascular malformations, Sturge-Weber syndrome, tuberous sclerosis complex, Rasmussen encephalitis, focal encephalomalacia and others. Extends of resection for an epileptogenic area varies from lesionectomy, corticectomy, lobectomy, to hemispherectomy. Recently, hemispherotomy is an alternative substitute to hemispherecotmy. The other approach is palliative epilepsy surgery for children of resistant epilepsy without an identifiable epileptogenic lesion or for patients who are unsuitable for resective surgery because of diffuse/multifocal/bihemispheric malformation of cortical development (MCD). Etiologies include cryptogenic and remote symptomatic causations. The symptomatic causes are perinatal hypoxic/ischemic insults, meningitis/encephalitis, brain malformations, cerebral trauma and others. Types and syndromes of epilepsy encountered for palliative surgery are mainly LGS, infantile spasms/WS, SE-MISF, HHE syndrome, and other symptomatic partial epilepsies and secondary generalized epilepsy. Corpus callosotomy, VNS and DBS are the palliative surgeries for this purpose.
In the post main session, the focus will be on the updating of “Neurosurgical Treatment of Paediatric Epilepsy”. The four speakers from Asian Countries are: Dr. Bomin Sun (China), Dr. Taisuke Otsuki (Japan), Dong-Seok Kim (Korea), and Dr. Tai-Tong Wong (Taiwan); each will sum up the most up-to-date information of epilepsy surgery in children on lesionectomy, hemispherectomy/hemispherotomy, comparative surgical strategies of hypothalamic harmatoma and the applicability of collosotomy versus VNS as palliative surgery in children in Asia.
Epilepsy Genetics: Everything you wanted to know
but were afraid to ask
Shinichi Hirose (Japan) & Nigel Tan (Singapore)
The ABC of Genetics - How to Interpret Genetic Tests
Nigel Tan (Singapore)
Genetics in Epilepsy- What it Can and Cannot do
Yuwu Jiang (China)
Ethics in the Genetics of Epilepsy: What are the Pros and Cons?
Satish Jain (India)
The Application of Genetic Tests for Epilepsy - are there Guidelines
for Clinicians?
Shinichi Hirose (Japan)
Genetics is increasingly prominent in the field of medicine, yet most clinicians still find the topic intimidating and irrelevant to daily clinical practice. The session is targeted at the practising clinician. The aim is to illustrate how recent advances in genetics can be applied judiciously in clinical practice; we will do so without going into details of molecular biology. Speakers will touch on interpretation of genetic tests, and also what these tests can and cannot do. We will also delve into the ethics of genetic testing, and whether there are guidelines for practising clinicians. We hope that the session will make genetics accessible and practical for the clinician.
Highlights Session
Shih Hui Lim (Singapore) & Liwen Wu (China)
In the Highlights Session which will be held at the end of the Congress,
Co-Chairs for the 5 Main sessions will summarize interesting and important
presentations in their respective Main and Post Main sessions.
PARALLEL SESSIONS
Epilepsy Classification
Ingrid Scheffer (Australia) & Kazuichi Yagi (Japan)
Epilepsy Classification: Where are we Heading?
Ingrid Scheffer (Australia)
Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsies - GEFS+ and Classical IGE
Yue-Hua Zhang (China)
Symptomatic Generalized Epilepsies - Clinical Significance and Problems
Yoko Ohtsuka (Japan)
Epilepsy classification is the most important clinical and research tool we have for delineating the epilepsies. At a clinical level, the classification underpins diagnosis, investigation, optimisation of therapy and genetic counselling. As a research instrument, it enables new discoveries that impact on daily practice. Despite this central role, it is, and should be, constantly evolving on the basis of higher levels of evidence. The new basis on which the classification will be built will be presented to aid discussion in the epilepsy community about the way forward. At a practical clinical level, the generalized epilepsies will be presented. The idiopathic forms pose different dilemmas to the symptomatic syndromes. What syndromes should be included in the Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsies? How do the classical Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsies relate to Generalized Epilepsies and Febrile Seizures Plus at a clinical and molecular level? The Symptomatic Generalized Epilepsies also pose complex problems in terms of classification. The clinical significance and problems in dissecting the Symptomatic Generalized Epilepsies will be discussed.
AED Issues in the Asian Oceanian Region
Dede Gunawan (Indonesia) & Jing-Jane Tsai (Taiwan)
AED Trials in Asia
Jing-Jane Tsai (Taiwan)
Use of AEDs in the Absence of Laboratory Monitoring
Dede Gunawan (Indonesia)
Use of AEDs in Patients with Brain Tumour
Siew-Ju See (Singapore)
AED Use in Medical Disorders
P. Satishchandra (India)
This parallel session will address several of the many antiepileptic drug (AED) issues in the Asian and Oceanic region. Potential antiepileptic drugs undergoing worldwide clinical trial assessment are involving investigators and enrolling patients of the region more than ever. The benefits and difficulties of these trials will be discussed. How further studies might be undertaken to improve use of AEDs will be considered.
Medical illnesses can be associated with seizure disorders or affect a patient with epilepsy. Disturbance of liver or kidney function can alter both the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of various AEDs. Interactions with other medications may increase the occurrence of adverse events. Drug selection and dose titration in these settings need to be individualized as does patient monitoring.
Many patients receiving AED therapy do not have access to laboratory monitoring. In this setting clinical assessment of toxicity and tolerability are vital. Whether AED selection is modified in this circumstance will be considered. In addition the practical issue of compliance, that is the reliable intake of medication, needs to be addressed.
There are changes occurring in the use of AEDs in patients with brain tumours. Certain AEDs may modify tumour response to treatment. Not all patients will require AED treatment so discussion of factors that indicate when AED therapy should be initiated or withdrawn will be presented. Clinical monitoring for adverse effects of AEDs in the patient with progressive neurological impairment resulting from brain tumor can present challenges.
Ethical Issues
Shih Hui Lim (Singapore) & Shunglon Lai (Taiwan)
Ethics of Resource Allocation and Utilization for Research in Countries
with Limited Financial Resources
Chong-Tin Tan (Malaysia)
Internet and AED Trials - What are the Ethical Issues?
Peter Bergin (New Zealand)
The Ethical Issues of using Plecebo in AED and Epilepsy Surgery Trials
in Asia
Byung-In Lee (Korea)
Lay People's Perspectives on Ethics in Epilepsy
Shunglon Lai (Taiwan)
The medical profession has long subscribed to a body of ethical statements developed primarily for the benefit of the patient. It is no difference in the field of epilepsy. In Asia, many countries have scarce resources and narrowing of treatment gap should have priority over the research gap. Therefore is it ethical to allocate the scarce resources for research? There is plan to use the Internet to recruit patients for AED trials in Asia. Will such Internet-recruitment make ethical issues such as obtaining informed consent and interaction of researchers with participants whom they have no knowledge more complex? In control clinical trials, is the use of placebo suitable in Asia where the difference in morality is particularly marked between Eastern and Western values? Last but not least, are the views of lay publics in Asia on medical ethics for epilepsy different from those in the West? In this parallel session, these ethical issues will be presented and discussed.
Imaging
David Reutens (Australia) & Kenneth Tan (Philippines)
In this session, clinical applications of MRI, PET and SPECT in epilepsy
will be discussed. The aim of the session is to provide a basic understanding
of the uses and limitations of these technologies; the appropriate use
of the investigations; common findings in epilepsy and some of the newer
applications of the techniques of relevance to epilepsy.
Basic Science 1 & 2
Byung-In Lee (Korea) & Peter Wolf (Denmark)
The first session is provisionally entitled “Basic framework of
epileptogenesis”, which will consist of four talks related to
(i) concept of epileptogenesis based on animal models; (ii) electrophysiological
characteristics of epileptogenic zone; (iii) neurotransmitters and their
receptors in epileptogenic zone and (iv) the role of neural plasticity
for epileptogenesis. This session is intended to help the audience understand
and build a concept about the pathogenesis of focal epilepsy, which
may be essential for the appropriate management of symptomatic partial
epilepsy.
The second session is provisionally titled as “Cell therapy of
intractable epilepsy”, which again consists of four talks related
to Cell therapy, which is probably the most ideal mode of therapy but
still in its early stage of development. The session may introduce the
basic concept of cell therapy and its major obstacles against its success,
which should be a major interest for practicing epileptologists.
Video sessions 1 & 2
Video 1: General Epiletology
Andrew Bleasel (Australia)
Xing-Zhou Liu (China)
Shih Hui Lim (Singapore)
David Reutens (Australia)
Andrew Bleasel (Australia)
Video 2: Localization in Focal Seizures
Xing-Zhou Liu (China)
Xing-Zhou Liu (China)
Yoshi Inoue (Yapan)
Lixin Cai (China)
Andrew Bleasel (Australia)
Two video sessions will be presented during the Congress. The aim will
be to present typical and atypical seizure semiologies occurring within
focal and generalised epilepsy syndromes. Cases of children and adults
will be shown. The format will be interactive with audience participation
encouraged. Although unusual features will be discussed the concentration
will be upon the common and key features that define focal epileptic
seizures involving particular cerebral regions and generalised epileptic
seizures. The video examples will be complemented with clinical history,
EEG and neuroimaging.
Discussion points will include;
Can seizure semiologies provide reliable guides to epilepsy syndromes?
Is accurate localisation of seizure onset possible with semiology?
What are the reliable lateralising signs?
What focal signs are permissible in generalised epilepsy syndromes?
What features reliably indicate non-epileptic seizures?
DIDACTIC LECTURES
In a manner similar to recent AOEC meetings, the Scientific Advisory
Committee aims to provide participants with a series of didactic lectures,
which are an important axis of the Congress. The lectures are organized
by the Asian Epilepsy Academy (ASEPA), which is the educational arm
of the Commission on Asian and Oceanian Affairs (CAOA). Two lectures
pertaining to crucial aspects of contemporary epistemology will be given
each day. There will be a total of six topics presented as plenary sessions
of the Congress in order to provide the latest available information.
The lecturers are all world-renowned experts in their respective field.
The fundamentals as well as state-of-the-art implications of the topics
will be covered. ASEPA believes a series of didactic lectures, delivered
by eminent experts, will be able to provide participants with an efficient
way of enriching their knowledge of the forefront of epileptology. The
ASEPA encourages all those who wish to attend to familiarize themselves
with the speakers and their work.
The line up of speakers and presentations is as follows:
Antiepileptic Drugs; Past, Present and Future
Martin J. Brodie (UK)
Clinical Interpretation of Clinical Trials in Epilepsy
Emilio Perucca (Italy)
Why Seizures Happen
Edward H. Bertram (USA)
ECG Localization of Seizures
Solomon L. (Nico) Moshe (USA)
Determinants of Quality of Life in People with Epilepsy
Samuel Wiebe (Canada)
Memory Commobidities in Epilepsy; a Psychobiolgical Approach
Michael Saling (Australia)
MASAKAZU SEINO MEMORIAL LECTURE
Chong-Tin Tan (Malaysia)
Celebrating the Life of Masakazu Seino (TBC)
Kazuichi Yagi (Japan)
Developmental Epileptology: How to Link Seizures in Infancy with Chronic
Epilepsy in Adulthood
Yuko Fukuyama (Japan)
Masakazu Seino passed away on March 7, 2007. From 1975 to 1996 he had worked as the medical director and director-general, and since then as honorary president at the Epilepsy Center Shizuoka, Japan. He wrote 71 articles and chapters first-authored and a further 141 articles and chapters co-authored.
He was a board member of Japanese Epilepsy Research Group from 1967
to 1981 and appointed as secretary general from 1973 to 1981. Since
1981 he was board member of the Japan Epilepsy Society and he was appointed
president of the Japan Epilepsy Society from 1989 to 1997. At the International
Epilepsy Congress in Kyoto, 1981, he worked vigorously as secretary
general. Then he was appointed as vice-president of International League
Against Epilepsy (ILAE) from 1981 to 1989 and as treasurer from 1989
to 1993. He was a member of the Commission on Classification and Terminology
(1981-2006), chairman of the Rules Commission (1983-1985), chairman
of the Commission on Nomination (1985-1989), and a member of the Commission
on Constitutional Affairs (1993-2006). After his retirement from the
National Epilepsy Center, he devoted his time to the Asian Oceania Epilepsy
Organization and teaching courses of Epileptology. He wished that people
with epilepsy in Asian Oceania countries were treated as well as in
European countries. He had organized the Commission on Asian Oceania
Affairs (CAOA) and had set up the Asian Epilepsy Academy (ASEPA) under
the umbrella of ILAE. His ideas are on-going in Asian and Oceanian countries
and his dreams will come true in the future. After his death CAOA and
ILAE decided to have a Masakazu Seino Lecture during the Asian &
Oceanian Epilepsy Congresses (AOEC) that are held biennially to memorize
and to fulfil his dream for Asia. In this Memorial Lecture, Kazuichi
Yagi will speak about Masakazu Seino and Yokio Fukuyama will give a
special didactic lecture entitled Developmental Epileptology: How to
Link Seizures in Infancy with Chronic Epilepsy in Adulthood.
Written by Kazuichi Yagi (Japan); this lecture is kindly supported by
Eisai Co. Ltd and Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma.
CHINESE LANGUAGE SESSION.
Chinese Language Session: Global Campaign Against Epilepsy; China Practice
Zhang Li (China) and Patrick Kwan (Hong Kong)
Epilepsy Control and Management Programme in the Rural Area of 15 Provinces
in China
Wu Jianzhong (China)
Mediation for Epilepsy in China: The situation and the Problem
Yuping Wang (China)
Report from Ning Xia Province
Chen Guisheng (China)
Evaluation of the Efficacy of Phenobarbital in Treatment of Epilepsy
in Rural Areas of Sichuan Province in China
Dong Zhou (China)
The Epilepsy Prevention and Cure Project in Jingsu Province
Liu Weiguo (China)
