Speaker Profile

Executive Summary：
Marie Vidailhet is Professor of Neurology, in Salpêtrière Hospital, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France. She has a long-standing interest in movement disorders, Parkinson’s disease and dystonia and her main interest is movement disorders, both in clinic (National Reference center for Dystonia and ERN network) and research from pathophysiology to experimental therapeutics, within her research group (Mov’it) at the ICM research institute and contributed to the field of pathophysiology of dystonia and other rare movement disorders, and to development of therapeutic approaches (deep brain stimulation in dystonia), non-invasive stimulation in tremor.

She has always been actively involved movement disorders at the national and international level. She is actively involved in the Movement Disorders Society (past member of MDS International Executive Committee, of the Bylaw committee, Program Committee (and organisation of the 2009 international MDS conference in Paris past Secretary MDS-ES (European section), Faculty at the International MDS conferences and at the Winter and Summer MDS-ES courses,
She was appointed to the MDS Mentorship program and was awarded the Presidential lecture (Stanley Fahn Lecture) at the Hong-Kong international conference and the Brown Sequard Lecture (Presidential lecture) at the 2024 EAN conference. She is also involved at the European Level (Fellow of the European Neurogical Society Member of the EAN board, 2 terms). She is Member of Dystonia Coalition.

She is very invested in the mentorship and training of young neurologists and her group is happy to host since many years, fellows from all over Europe and beyond.
Over the years, she co-authored over 400 publications (total H index 91) with focus on the pathophysiology of dystonia, tremors and Tourette syndrome, deep brain stimulation in dystonia, development of non-invasive stimulation for dystonia and tremor, both for research and experimental therapeutics. Together with Stephane Lehericy (co-leader of the research team), she worked on clinical and neuroimaging characterization of Parkinson’s disease.

Lecture Abstract：
As defined by the 2013 MDS consensus criteria, dystonia is defined as a movement disorder characterized by sustained or intermittent muscle contractions causing abnormal, often repetitive, movements, postures, or both. The 2024 is currently revised. Dystonic movements are typically patterned and twisting and may be tremulous. Focal dystonias, are the most frequent forms and are most often of idiopathic origin. Careful description of the phenomenology is still of interest for optimal therapeutic strategy including physiotherapy, botulinum toxin injections or deep brain stimulation. The pathophysiology dystonia is based on neuroimaging, neurophysiology and dystonia genes and their biological pathways. There is an expanding spectrum from complex dystonia to developmental or neurodegenerative disorders. In focal and segmental dystonia, physiotherapy and botulinum toxin injections (with the combination of col-cap classification, EMG and Ultrasound guidance) are the most efficient treatments. In more severe dystonia, deep brain stimulation (GPi or STN) remains the “gold standard” with an approach that can be also based on neuroimaging (depending on the phenomenology, axial or appendicular distribution. However, there is still some variability in results which are still unpredictable, and these are the upcoming challenges for a personalized treatment designed on the individual characteristics of the patients.  

Executive Summary：
Dr. Lim is a Neurologist and Professor at the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he runs a busy clinical practice specializing in Parkinson's and related disorders. Dr. Lim has also published extensively in these areas, in major scientific journals.

He has been an active member of the International Parkinson & Movement Disorder Society (MDS), being closely involved in multiple task forces and committees. He is currently Chair of the MDS Asian-Oceanian Section (AOS).

Dr. Lim's main research interests are in the following areas: (i) PD (particularly genetics and genotype-phenotype correlations; evidence-based medicine/clinical trials; non-motor features including gastrointestinal aspects; comorbidities; patient-centred care; and rating scales/disease staging); (ii) Parkinson-plus syndromes and other miscellaneous/"orphan" movement disorders, including progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).

Lecture Abstract：
In this talk, I will outline the state-of-art in terms of current management for Parkinson’s disease (PD), from diagnosis to treatment.

This will include the recent move towards a more biology-centred approach to the diagnosis and classification of PD (incorporating genetics, and biomarkers of synucleinopathy, neurodegeneration, etc.), which will ultimately pave the way towards the successful deployment of disease-modifying therapies.

Other technological advances such as sensors and telehealth are also discussed.

Pharmacological agents as well as non-pharmacological treatments, including functional neurosurgery, are reviewed.

Because "It is difficult to make predictions, especially about the future", I will make some tentative speculations about how PD management is likely to evolve in the coming years … but with the obvious caveat that totally disruptive technologies cannot really be anticipated!

Executive Summary：
Dr. Lu graduated from China Medical University and received his neurological resident training in China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. He has served as an attending physician in the Department of Neurology, China Medical University Hospital since 2004. He was selected as an elite attending physician of the hospital in 2012, 2021 and 2024. In addition to clinical service, he also received Ph.D. training focusing in clinical neurophysiology. His major interests include evoked potentials, transcranial magnetic stimulation and neuromodulation in movement disorders. He has published several research articles regarding this field. He is currently a council member of Taiwan Movement Disorder Society and the president of Taiwan Society of Clinical Neurophysiology.

Lecture Abstract：
Myoclonus is a phenomenon of involuntary, irregular, and brief muscle contraction or loss of muscle contraction. Since the etiology of myoclonus is diverse, clinical diagnosis relies not only on a detailed medical history and observation of the phenomena but also sometimes on the use of tools such as electrophysiology, neuroimaging, or genetic tests. Classification by anatomical location may be more relevant to treatment options. Cortical-origin myoclonus is characterized by sensitivity to somatosensory stimuli in the distal limbs. Short-duration muscle contraction, loss of muscle contraction (negative myoclonus), giant somatosensory evoked potentials, and the presence of jerk-locked cortical potentials suggest a type of cortical-origin myoclonus. Medications, including piracetam and levetiracetam, are usually helpful. By contrast, phenytoin or carbamazepine may worsen this type of myoclonus. Brainstem-origin myoclonus tends to affect the axial muscles or proximal limb muscles. Spinal myoclonus is characterized by longer muscle contraction durations, usually exceeding 100 milliseconds, and slower transmission velocities. In addition to managing the underlying etiology, symptomatic treatment with medication such as clonazepam may improve the symptoms. Identifying the causes of acute myoclonus is crucial because many of them are reversible. It is also important to investigate whether the myoclonus is associated with treatable diseases. In conclusion, myoclonus can result from various neurological disorders. The first step in clinical practice involves examining the location and duration of the myoclonus, determining the possible anatomical generator, and then arranging for auxiliary imaging, biochemical, or genetic tests. These approaches help achieve an accurate diagnosis and treatment.