Editor's Note

VOLUME 36, NO. 2 • JUNE 2019

Tzung-Jeng Hwang, IPA Bulletin Editor-in-Chief

IPA has been a leader in developing definitions and advancing understanding of neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia. In 2019 March, IPA launched an expert consensus meeting in defining psychosis in dementia in Lisbon, Portugal during the AD/PD meeting period. In this issue, there is a brief report on this initiative. The 2019 IPA Congress in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, is now in good shape, with eight pre-Congress workshops, at least six plenary sessions, 20 symposiums, and more than 200 free communications and posters. We can expect a fruitful scientific conference with spiritual nourishment. Furthermore, in order to increase our membership and global impact, President Dr. Sano led the Board of Directors to work on a plan to increase the board size, so that we can have more leaders and colleagues around the world working together to make the world a better place for the elderly.

I am pleased that, in this issue, there are seven  articles, four in “Research and Practice,” and three in “Around the World.”

In “Research and Practice”:

• Dr. Lam (Canada) introduces an interesting and important study: SPRINT-MIND, a randomized controlled trial of intensive systolic blood pressure control to a target of under 120 mmHg. It is the first major trial to demonstrate that an intervention reduces the incidence of mild cognitive impairment.
• Dr. Huang (Taiwan) updates us on the issue of how suicide prediction models work. The conclusion is application of suicide risk stratification is not recommended considering the poor predictive validity, insufficient corresponding evidence-based treatment, and possible negative clinical impact.
• Dr. Sion (Netherlands) discusses how an experienced quality of care is a process of expectations before, during, and after an assessment in the context of receiving care.
• Dr. Valzolgher (Italy) portrays a patient with dementia of Lewy body whose visual hallucinations were successfully treated with memantine.

In “Around the World”: 

• Dr. Giebel (UK) shares with us her precious experiences in how she and a clinician have benefited from working on service evaluation together, sharing knowledge and learning from being immersed in the other setting (academia and clinical practice).
• Dr. Liang (Taiwan) recommends a good book The Mental Health and Illness of the Elderly, edited by our IPA colleagues, Helen Chiu (Hong Kong) and Ken Shulman (Canada). This book is divided into three sections: The Global Challenge of Aging Populations; Diagnosis and Assessment; and Treatment and Services.
• Dr. Reimers (US) reports on the 2019 AAGP Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. The meeting was a resounding success covering a range of topics, many related to policy and advocacy in geriatric psychiatry.

 I cordially invite IPA members to submit articles to share thoughts and experiences with us! Please reach us at IPABulletin@ipa-online.org.