Report of the 2020 virtual Neurology Update Meeting
The 19th Annual Neurology Update Meeting, and first virtual Update Meeting, took place on October 30th 2020. Dr. Janice Redmond, meeting director, opened the meeting and welcomed presenters and delegates to the meeting. While noting the challenges of the new virtual meeting format, Dr. Redmond informed delegates that the specialist speakers, would present updates in each of six major specialist neurology areas.
virtual NEUROLOGY UPDATE MEETING 2020: → Programme
Dr. Donal Costigan
Dr. John McConville
Ulster Hospital, Belfast
Dr. John McConville is a Consultant Neurologist at South East Trust and Belfast Trust, Northern Ireland. His special interest is in Muscle Disease. For the past 5 years Dr McConville has been the clinical lead for Adult Neuromuscular Diseases in Northern Ireland. He has a particular interest in Myasthenia Gravis and Congenital Myasthenic Syndromes.
Lecture Title: Update in Cognitive Neurology
“Dr. Mc Conville presented an amazing ‘tour de force’ review of developments in neuromuscular disease from newly described conditions such as CANVAS to updating us on neuromuscular transmission” – Dr. J Redmond.
Dr. Patricia McNamara
National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London
Dr. Patricia McNamara is locum consultant neurologist at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square and Northwick Park Hospital. She is co chair of the Encephalitis and COVID-19 MDT at the national hospital for neurology and neurosurgery. Her specialist interests are neurological infection and autonomic neurology.
Lecture Title: Autonomic Nervous System Update
“Dr. McNamara presented an excellent talk to explain the complicated conditions that occur with autonomic dysfunction”. – Dr. J Redmond
Dr. Niamh Bermingham
Cork University Hospital
Dr. Bermingham completed higher specialist training in Histopathology and Neuropathology in 2007. She received fellowship training in Melbourne with Professor Catriona McLean, Director of the Department of Anatomical Pathology, The Alfred Hospital, Victoria, Australia. She is a Consultant Neuropathologist at Cork University Hospital, with special interests in neuromuscular disease and adult tumour pathology. She is a Clinical Lecturer in the Department of Pathology, University College Cork.
Lecture Title: Muscle Pathology Update
“Dr. Bermingham highlighted the use and pitfalls of muscle biopsy in neuromuscular diagnosis. Despite the importance of recent genetic breakthroughs biopsy has not been superseded. The pathology slides were outstanding”. – Dr. J Redmond
Dr. Justin Kinsella
Dr. Siobhán Hutchinson
St. James’ Hospital, Dublin
Dr. Siobhán Hutchinson is Consultant Neurologist at St. James Hospital, Dublin and Clinical Senior Lecturer at Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute.
Lecture Title: Update in Cognitive Neurology
“Dr . Hutchinison reviewed recent literature on the diagnosis and management of Alzheimers disease. The possibility of precision medicine in the future looks very exciting. It is such an important area as 50 million worldwide have dementia with 10 million being affected every year”. – Dr. J Redmond
Dr. Peter Boers
University Hospital Limerick
Dr. Peter Boers, Consultant Neurologist, University Hospital Limerick. General Neurology, with an interest in migraine and other headaches, multiple sclerosis, and stroke.
Lecture Title: Some thoughts on Acute Neurology and Inpatient Neurology Consultations
“Dr. Boers provided a very helpful review of common problems coming to our emergency rooms with illustrative cases to discuss practical management”. – Dr. J Redmond
Dr. Siobhán Kelly
Dr. Siobhán Kelly is Consultant Neurologist at Sligo University and Letterkenny University Hospitals. Her specialist interests are in Multiple Sclerosis and Stroke Medicine.
Lecture Title: An Update on Neuroinflammation
“Dr. Kelly updated us on the fast developing field of neuroinflammation. Issues related to secondary immunosuppression in relation to COVID-19 were discussed”. – Dr. J Redmond
Registered attendance at the Neurology Update Meeting 2020 was 148, a considerably higher number than the more usual in person meetings. While there was general disappointment among lecturers and delegates that it was not possible to meet face to face, it was acknowledged also by many that the virtual format allowed many people to access this valuable and practical meeting, when travel would ordinarily have prohibited attendance.
Throughout the conference the importance of genetic studies, neurophysiology, neuropathology and neuroimaging were highlighted. In all the talks the importance of therapeutic developments was underlined. – Dr. J Redmond
