Alzheimer's Care Armenia collaborates with Armenia National Institute of Health for ground-breaking conference on Alzheimer's disease

25/03/2024

On 25 March, Alzheimer's Care Armenia in partnership with Armenia National Institute of Health successfully hosted a conference called “From early detection to end-of-life: An interdisciplinary approach to Alzheimer's Disease”. The event started with a moment of silence in honour of the late Professor Mikayel Aghajanov, a distinguished scientist and former head of the biochemistry department at Yerevan State University. "We are delighted to spearhead this vital initiative. With dementia affecting an increasing number of people worldwide, innovative solutions to raise awareness and address the needs of the adults with cognitive impairment are imperative," stated Dr Jane Mahakian, American-Armenian gerontologist and founder of Alzheimer's Care Armenia.

 Dr Samson Khachatryan, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Health, underscored the significance of the conference in his opening remarks and highlighted recent advancements in Alzheimer's research, disease prevalence, and preventive measures. Guest speaker Dr William Shankle, Medical Director of the Shankle Clinic in Newport Beach (California) presented virtually on testing the Cytotoxic Aggregated Misfolded Polymor-phic Structures (CAMPS) hypothesis. Dr Kristine Galstyan, Chief Public Specialist at the Republic of Armenia Ministry of Health, emphasised the ministry's commitment to addressing dementia-related challenges. 

She highlighted the inclusion of dementia awareness initiatives within the National Dementia Plan aimed at enhancing public understanding of Alzheimer's disease and preventive measures. The conference, tailored for primary care physicians, therapists, neurologists, and psychiatrists, featured presentations from various experts and international guests. The conference, which was also available on Facebook live, included 516 attendees. They gained insights into different approaches employed worldwide and had the opportunity to engage with experts, receiving answers to pertinent questions.