Dystonia Europe 2013:

IAB well presented

IAB was well presented at the conference celebrating the 20th anniversary of Dystonia Europe from September 6th to 7th, 2013 in Edinburgh. Dystonia Europe is the umbrella organisation for all national European dystonia patient organizations. Dystonia Europe emerged from the EDF, the European Dystonia Federation. Dr Fereshte Adib Saberi gave a well-received presentation on the work of IAB in Germany. Recently, with the DystonieNet a similar association was formed in the Netherlands. Whereas IAB covers all movement disorders DystonieNet is focussed on dystonia only.

Professor Dirk Dressler from Hannover Medical School, member of IAB’s Scientific Advisory Board, reported on botulinum toxin therapy and Professor Joachim Krauss, also from Hannover Medical School and also member of IAB’s Scientific Advisory Board, gave an overview about on deep brain stimulation. Doktor Andree Lee from the Academy of Music and Drama in Hannover, headed by IAB’s Scientific Advisory Board Board member Professor Eckart Altenmueller, outlined current treatment strategies for musician’s dystonia. With a further contribution from Luebeck University on the role of genetics in dystonia Germany presented brilliantly.

‘Despite all the problems we have here, many European countries envy our therapy and research standards. Keeping these standards and expand them is one of the challenges of the coming years. Here IAB plays a pivotal role,’ says Professor Dressler.