Scientists represent new studies on the challenges arising from NCDs

28 Feb. 2019

MSTF Media reports:

Mohammad Noorbakhsh, as the head of the panel, presented his lecture on neuroscientific solutions to overcoming NCDs challenges. He suggested that there is a common link between some NCDs and mental disorders.

“Ignoring of people with mental disorders contribute to delayed diagnosis or inappropriate treatment of physical conditions,” he said.

“NCDs, like other stressors, may trigger depression, PTSD, and other common mental disorders,” he continued.

As a solution, Noorbakhsh proposed screening tests for the early diagnosis of mental disorders and treatment of them in order to prevent the mental complication after other NCDs.

Yasemin Gursoy Ozdemir, Director of Graduate School of Health Sciences, Koc University, presented a lecture on “Headache: Novel Treatment Strategies” elaborating on the physiological studies on different periods before, during and after the headache.

Referring to studies on Imaging of Cortical Spreading Depression (CSD), she noted that spreading depression triggers headaches by activating neuronal Panx1 channels.

As the next lecturer, Timothea Toulopoulou, Chair of Department of Psychology, Bilkent University, talked about schizophrenia and the intermediate phenotypes which can advance the field of psychiatry.

Although there are complex relations between the risk of having this disorder, there are also instances with healthy relatives. However, the genetic risk appears in the form of cognitive deficits and changes brain volume, suggesting molecular and cellular research in this regard.

Ilkay Erdogan Orhan, Dean of Faculty of Pharmacy at Gazi University of Turkey, then talked about plants as important factor, emphasizing on the traditional knowledge due to their efficiency and that fact that 80% of population is still relying on them.

She exemplified Alzheimer and diabetes as an NCDs which can be treated by drugs from herbal and natural sources, plants and animals. She further referred to the ancient history of the use of herbal medicine for the treatment of various diseases.

Referring to the less amount of molecules and extracts with natural sources which are available in all countries, she noted that the expenses are of phenomenal importance.