1994
Year 14
Prof. Robert B. Daroff
Gilbert W Humphrey Professor of Neurology,
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, USA
THEME: THE DECADE OF THE BRAIN & BEYOND: CHALLENGES IN NEUROLOGICAL RESEARCH
There are about 500 different genetic disorders that can affect the nervous system.
Mapping the gene locus has enhanced the knowledge and understanding of these
specific gene-related disorders. Other areas of neurological advancement are:
neurotransmission in conditions like Parkinson’s disease, drug and surgical interventions in
the epilepsies, the role of carotid endarterectomy in the prevention of stroke, the use of
gamma knife on brain tumours and surgical, rehabilitative and behavioural interventions in
traumatic and spinal cord injuries. In addition, the identification of Alzheimer’s disease as
the commonest cause of failing cognition in an ageing population, the pinning down of
prion protein in prion disease, the efforts on to contain the AIDS pandemic, the role of
beta-interferon in multiple sclerosis, gene replacement therapy and transplantation of
nerve cells into areas of spinal cord damage are path-breaking areas of research.
