December 11, 2002

Baycrest, Israel share dementia expertise...

Toronto, CANADA - Baycrest celebrated a milestone on Dec. 11, 2002, by hosting the first of a series of Canada-Israel video teleconference sessions in Behavioural Neurology and Geriatric Psychiatry.

Dr. Morris Freedman, Director of Behavioural Neurology at Baycrest, opened the session just after 8:00 a.m. EST with greetings to his colleagues in Israel. It was late afternoon for Dr. Yehuda Roth and his group, participating from Tel Aviv University.

Clinicians and students in Behavioural Neurology, as well as other health care professionals, shared a virtual, borderless classroom as they listened to neurology fellow on the Canadian side, Dr. Yakir Kaufman, present a case study of dementia in a 41-year-old man. The patient was brought into the classroom briefly with his wife and mother for a discussion with Dr. Sandra Black, Head of Neurology at Sunnybrook and Women’s College Health Sciences Centre. The medical audience in both time zones listened as the family talked about the dramatic and devastating changes in their relative. The patient was unable to communicate.

After the patient and family exited, Drs. Black and Kaufman presented the clinical investigation, including recent imaging data of the patient’s brain. This was followed by an open discussion between Canada and Israel as to the type of dementia the patient may have. The case was a difficult one to diagnose, but the marked changes in the frontal lobes pointed to the likelihood of frontotemporal dementia, a condition that can strike younger adults.

“We want to develop greater communication and links involving Behavioural Neurology and Geriatric Psychiatry across Canada and Israel through joint educational programs,” said Dr. Freedman. “These rounds enable the transfer of knowledge at the basic science and clinic levels.”

Three more Canada-Israel rounds are scheduled for 2003.

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Congratulations to rounds co-ordinators Drs. SandraBlack, David Conn, and Morris Freedman (Canada), and Drs. YehudaRoth and Martin Rabey (Israel); and Baycrest Telehealth Coordinator Heidi Bilas. Dr. Black is Head of the Division of Neurology, Sunnybrook and Women’s College Health Sciences Centre; Dr. Conn is Director of Psychiatry and Telehealth at Baycrest; and Dr. Freedman is Director of Behavioural Neurology at Baycrest. Dr. Roth is Deputy Director, Canada International Scientific Exchange Program (CISEPO), Israel; and Dr. Rabey is Chairman, Department of Neurology, Tel Aviv University.

Special thanks to Dr. Arnold Noyek, Chair of CISEPO and Director of Continuing Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto.

Baycrest acknowledges Bayer Inc. and Pfizer Canada which supports the Behavioural Rounds in Toronto with educational grants throughout the year; the Morris Slivka Legacy to honour the memory of Leo Aryeh Greenberg which supports academic activities at Baycrest and Tel Aviv University; and CISEPO (Canada-Israel) which are supporting this special series of four video teleconference rounds.