Üsküdar Üniversitesi, delivering the opening speech of the 2nd Multidisciplinary Neurodegeneration Congress organized by them, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stated that it is imperative for psychiatry specialists to follow innovations in neuroscience and warned, "If today's psychiatry does not renew itself, only depression will remain." Tarhan emphasized that psychiatry and psychology professionals must know the brain.
The 2nd Multidisciplinary Neurodegeneration Congress, organized by Üsküdar Üniversitesi, began with the participation of researchers in the fields of neurology, psychiatry, pharmacology, physiology, anatomy, molecular biology and genetics, bioinformatics, and bioengineering.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Founding Rector of Üsküdar Üniversitesi, stated in the opening speech of the congress, which was held online due to the pandemic, that the Multidisciplinary Neurodegeneration Congress is a congress attempting to explain one of the most curious medical topics in the world today.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “The New Frontier of Science is the Brain…”
Tarhan stated that especially in recent years, the brain has been identified as the new frontier of science, adding, "We can say that studies in the field of the brain can offer us seriously eye-opening and inspiring work in the treatment of many diseases. For this reason, as Üsküdar Üniversitesi, we have identified neuroscience as an R&D focus. There is a principle in R&D defined as Selection Concentration. You choose a subject and delve deeply into it. If this happens, it can be R&D; trying to do R&D in everything does not make much sense. We chose neuroscience and are trying to deepen our knowledge in this area. We also have a very strong database in terms of patient information related to this."
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that, considering the laboratory infrastructure, they have initiated many firsts in Turkey in this regard, adding, "Especially since our concept during the university's establishment was to focus on behavioral sciences in the field of health, we chose neuroscience as an important R&D focus. Our practice and scientific partner NPİSTANBUL Beyin Hastanesi is a part of these studies. It provides us with significant support in applying the latest treatment methods. The Faculty of Medicine also does so. We also have laboratory infrastructures that enable studies related to neuroscience and neurogenetics. We have started initiatives regarding a laboratory where we can carry out stem cell studies."
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Our Graduates Became Sought-After Personnel During the Covid-19 Pandemic”
Tarhan noted that they are working in a multidisciplinary field related to brain sciences, meaning where neurosciences, computer sciences, and other psychological sciences come together, adding, "That's why, during the initial establishment of the university, we opened the computer, software engineering, bioengineering, and Turkish and English molecular biology and genetics departments in the first year and produced graduates. Especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, bioengineers and molecular biology – genetics graduates from our university became highly sought-after personnel. They found employment opportunities everywhere. Currently, PCR tests are administered at the entrance of many institutions. They provide results within 1 – 1.5 hours, and if not done, entry is denied. We gave importance and priority to this field because we foresaw it as a profession of the future. Our young people also benefited from this."
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “If Psychiatrists Stand Still, They Will Lose Schizophrenia Too”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that as a university, they have chosen neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and autism in the field of R&D, and warned psychiatry specialists by stating that many psychiatric diseases are now being examined by neurologists: "We cannot say that schizophrenia is not a neurodegenerative disease right now. Especially, disease-related connectomes in the brain have begun to be understood. Perhaps in 5-10 years, instead of schizophrenia, we will say 'this connectome disorder of the brain.' We will say there is a speech disorder in this or that region of the brain. We will not say depression or bipolar, but diagnosis will be made based on pathology. Currently, in psychiatry, diagnosis is made descriptively based on classification, not pathology. Neurologists are now more interested in autism and schizophrenia. If psychiatrists continue to stand still, just as they lost Alzheimer's, they will entrust schizophrenia to behavioral neurologists and autism to child neurologists. This needs to be known. If they do not follow innovations in neuroscience, psychiatrists will only be left with depression, and then psychiatry might be reduced to just depression specialization. There is now a lot of evidence that depression is a disease of the prefrontal brain. Therefore, if psychiatry and psychology professionals are clinicians and want to touch a patient, they must know the brain. It is not ethical to grant a psychology diploma to someone without basic brain knowledge."
Tarhan also stated that as a university, they opened a Neuromarketing Master's Program for the first time in Turkey, adding that they have strategic goals related to neuroscience. He said, "Our publications related to this have also significantly increased at a certain point. We have also created a structure related to R&D and innovative policies to enable more research and to obtain TUBITAK projects. Being a part of international projects is very important. For this reason, our professor Marcel Mesulam, born in Istanbul and one of the pioneers in behavioral neurology worldwide, will also be our guest at the congress, and we will listen to him."
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Belkıs Atasever Arslan: “Neurodegenerative Diseases Will Be Addressed in All Their Aspects”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Belkıs Atasever Arslan, Head of the Molecular Biology and Genetics (Turkish) Department at Üsküdar Üniversitesi and also the Congress Chair, said in her opening speech, "At our congress, Prof. Dr. Marek Marsel Mesulam (Northwestern University) and Prof. Dr. Scott T Brady (University of Illinois at Chicago) will honor us with their opening lectures. Neurodegeneration will be addressed with a multidisciplinary approach involving researchers in the fields of neurology, psychiatry, pharmacology, physiology, anatomy, molecular biology and genetics, bioinformatics, and bioengineering. Clinical, in vivo, in vitro, and engineering studies on the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases will be discussed by leading scientists in this field during conferences and panels. Oral presentations will be made based on the peer review results. All abstract submissions will be published in the Journal of Neurobehavioral Sciences. We hope that the congress will offer opportunities for scientific interactions to all participants." Assoc. Prof. Dr. Belkıs Atasever Arslan gave her presentation titled "Neuroinflammation, Neurodegeneration, and MicroRNAs."
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Metin Made a Presentation on the Use of Functional MRI
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Metin, Faculty Member of the Department of Neurology, Üsküdar Faculty of Medicine, Üsküdar Üniversitesi and Neurologist at NPİSTANBUL Beyin Hastanesi, delivered his presentation titled "Determining Memory Lateralization Using Functional MRI." Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Metin stated that functional MRI has been used for four years within Üsküdar Üniversitesi in determining memory lateralization, emphasizing that reports are prepared by providing services both within the university and externally. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Metin stated that they have performed functional MRI on 150 patients to date, and 37 of these patients underwent surgery. He also stated that this method effectively determines the level of memory impairment in Alzheimer's patients and cases of treatment-resistant epilepsy.
Prof. Dr. Marek-Marsel Mesulam and Prof. Dr. Scott Brady Gave Opening Lectures
The opening lectures of the congress were delivered by Prof. Dr. Marek-Marsel Mesulam from Northwestern University and Prof. Dr. Scott T. Brady from the University of Illinois at Chicago Faculty of Medicine, moderated by Prof. Dr. Oğuz Tanrıdağ, Head of the Department of Neurology, Üsküdar Faculty of Medicine, Üsküdar Üniversitesi.
Prof. Dr. Marek-Marsel Mesulam, Director of the Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease at Northwestern University, delivered his presentation titled "Primary Progressive Aphasia Dementia Heterogeneity and Language Neuroanatomy"; and Prof. Dr. Scott T. Brady, Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Illinois at Chicago Faculty of Medicine, delivered his presentation titled "Axonal Transport, Motor Neuron Disease, and Neuronal Signaling."
On the first day of the congress, Celal Şalçini, Faculty Member of the Department of Psychiatry, Üsküdar Faculty of Medicine, Üsküdar Üniversitesi and Neurologist at NPİSTANBUL Beyin Hastanesi, gave his oral presentation titled "Clock Drawing Test Analysis in Patients with Primary Progressive Aphasia and Behavioral Frontotemporal Dementia."
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gökben Hızlı Sayar, Faculty Member of the Department of Psychiatry, Üsküdar Faculty of Medicine, Üsküdar Üniversitesi, and Psychiatrist at NP Feneryolu Medical Center, participated in the congress with her presentation titled "The Use of Psychobiotics in Neurodegenerative Diseases."
The Congress Will Last Two Days
On the second day of the congress, which featured oral presentations and lectures by academics from various universities in addition to Üsküdar Üniversitesi, Speech and Language Disorders Specialist İbrahim Yaşa from the Üsküdar Üniversitesi Department of Speech and Language Therapy, will present "Speech and Language Therapy in Neurodegenerative Aphasias," Expert Psychologist İnci Birincioğlu from the Üsküdar Üniversitesi Department of Psychology, will present "Neuropsychological Evaluation and Profiles in Neurodegenerative Diseases," Assoc. Prof. Dr. Arzu Çelik from Boğaziçi University, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, will present "Modeling Neurological Diseases in the Vinegar Fly Model," and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erdinç Dursun from İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa, Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, will present "Molecular Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration: Vitamin D – VDR Pathways." On the second day, in addition to the panel where Prof. Dr. Hakan Gürvit from İstanbul University, İstanbul Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, will present "Multimodal Neuroimaging in Neurodegenerative Diseases," Prof. Dr. Tamer Demiralp from İstanbul University, İstanbul Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, will present "Intrinsic Connectivity Networks in Neurodegenerative Diseases," and Prof. Dr. Burak Acar from Boğaziçi University, Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, will present "Brain Network Analysis with Machine Learning Approaches," there will also be oral presentations.