John O’Brien

As regular readers of the Bulletin will know (surely there must be someone out there!) David Ames, the Editor, is taking a break for two issues, which, as Deputy Editor, I am coordinating. However, far from relaxing on the beautiful beaches of Victoria, David is profitably engaged in the organization of the next IPA meeting, which will be held in Lorne (near Melbourne), 4-7 February 2001. There is every indication that this will be a very exciting meeting, and I can vouch for the fact that it is set in the most beautiful part of Victoria. However, having been involved with the organization of IPA’s Newcastle meeting in April 2000, I now realize it is quite impossible to over estimate the amount of work involved in organizing such a meeting, and I wish David and his colleagues well in this task.

In truth, I feel something of a fraud in claiming any credit for this edition, as most of the articles were commissioned well before my arrival and the high quality of production has been established over the last few years by dedicated input from all regular contributors, the IPA Secretariat and, in particular, Dottie Zoller, the Managing Editor. As Editor, David’s enthusiasm and drive, combined with his remarkable attention to detail, have really pushed the IPA Bulletin forward to a quality publication, which is eagerly awaited by members (okay, I am allowed my delusion). I will try to ensure that the high standard already set is maintained.

This issue contains the usual mix of news, meeting reports and articles, ranging from basic science to clinical practice, as well as our regular features such as Culinary Corner, announcements, new books and related meetings. I would very much welcome suggestions for contributions, or for additions to standing features, and these should be sent to me via e-mail at j.t.o’brien@ncl.ac.uk. Inside you will find an informative and entertaining article by Nathan Herrmann, on SSRI-Induced Sexual Dysfunction, though I am still not sure whether to regard the fact that 25% of those over 75 are still sexually active as depressing or hopeful! This article helps to inform us on whether or not we should be prescribing sildenafil (Viagra) for our patients. Masatoshi Takeda and Kazuhiro Shinosaki provide an excellent review on the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and discuss potential targets for new therapies and interventions. Dimity Pond provides an interesting article on the upskilling of General Practitioners in Australia. It is perhaps unsurprising, but an important message, that projects run by GPs for their peers are more likely to find acceptance by other GPs. For those countries having a large primary care base, dissemination of knowledge and good practice from secondary (hospital) to primary (General Practitioner) care remains a great challenge. Also, David Resnikoff provides us with an overview of the Mexican Psychogeriatric Association, one of the first regional groups to affiliate to IPA. The similarity with other parts of the world, which are noted in problems and solutions described in all these pieces, will be immediately apparent. To me they highlight the common ground we share in the care we need to provide for elderly patients with psychiatric disorder, rather than differences.

This year has been a memorable one for meetings, and I have been privileged to attend several, including those of IPA and the 7th World Alzheimer Congress, in Washington. A particular highlight for me was the closer working relationship between IPA and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, exemplified by the Joint Meeting held in Newcastle, and the subsequent joint publication, distributed free to all members of both organizations, of the IPA Bulletin and Old Age Psychiatrist (the newsletter of the Royal College), ably edited by David Ames and Carmelo Aquilina.

It may be just me, but the mood at scientific meet-ings in recent months has seemed definitely upbeat. The first really effective treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, although of relatively modest benefit, are now available in many countries (albeit under certain restrictions), while research into the pathogenesis of all dementias is accelerating apace. The prospect of disease-modifying agents and even preventative strategies, unthinkable a few years ago, now seems not only possible, but a realistic goal within the lifetime of our clinical practice. Innovative service developments continue and the number of specialists (whether called Old Age Psychiatrists, Psychogeriatricians, Geriatric Psychiatrists, Gerontological Psychiatrists, Gerontologists, Neurologists, or Geriatricians) involved in the care of elderly patients with psychiatric disorders continues to grow. The enthusiastic, optimistic mood among both basic scientists and clinicians is indeed contagious, and now needs to be matched by major funding bodies for whom dementia research is still very much the “poor relation” of other disorders. In the UK, for example, dementia research attracts only 3% of the funding allocated for cancer.

The year also included sadness, with the death, in May, of Meinhardt Tropper, a long-time IPA member. Sandy Finkel provides an obituary. A sad fact of the success of our field and its rapid growth is the inevitability of losing esteemed colleagues over the coming years. We hope, where possible, to commemorate the achievements of individuals through the pages of this Bulletin.

Finally, on a brighter note, I enthusiastically commend to you the next two IPA meetings, the imminent meeting in Lorne and the Nice Congress, 9-14 September 2001, details of which are contained within this issue. I very much look forward to seeing you in Lorne and in Nice.

 

John O’Brien, Deputy Editor, is Professor of Old Age Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and the Institute for the Health of the Elderly, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, and Honorary Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry at Newcastle General Hospital. He can be contacted at j.t.o’brien@newcastle.ac.uk.

Reprinted from IPA Bulletin, Volume 17, Number 4