Parkinson’s disease is one of the most common movement disorders which can be well managed with adequate and optimal treatment leading to a good quality of life. However, the treatment may often be challenging owing to the wide variety of factors ranging from the numerous treatment modalities, to patient specific factors such as affordability and compliance to treatment, and follow-up. In an attempt to alleviate this conundrum, we conducted a one-day online CME programme entitled “Add on Therapy in Parkinson’s disease: Winds of Change” on 24th June 2021 with talks from a panel of experts in the field. More than 100 participants attended this webinar.

With the establishment of Movement Disorders as a subspecialty of Neurology in India and in many other countries in the MDS Asian and Oceanian Section (MDS-AOS), there is a growing need for educational courses in specific areas of Movement Disorders for manpower development in the MDS-AOS.  Rare Movement Disorders is one such specific area of Movement Disorders which needs more attention.  Orphan or Rare Movement Disorders (RMD) comprise a large number of rare and disabling disorders with a wide phenotypic spectrum that often emerge in childhood.  Many of these disorders are treatable and there needs to be greater awareness among the young neurologists of the MDS-AOS specifically interested in Movement Disorders.  One of the objectives of the Rare Movement Disorders Study Group of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS) is to make a coordinated effort at an international level to advance RMD research, and increase education and awareness regarding these disorders. This two-day regional education course on Rare Movement Disorders addressed the epidemiology, clinical characteristics and diagnostic and therapeutic approach to some of the important and relatively more frequent RMDs.  The course consisted of didactic lectures and video-based case discussions deliberated by International and National Faculty experienced in Movement Disorders.  The course was led by local Course Directors, Prof. Pramod Kumar Pal and Dr. Ravi Yadav, both of NIMHANS, and 12 additional faculty from India, Australia, Malaysia, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The course was attended by 86 participants. Three quarters of attendees came from India and others from Bahrain, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka.

The second annual conference Movement Disorders Society of India (MDSI) -MDSICON-2017 was held at the Convention Centre of the National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore from 6-8 January, 2017. It was organized by the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, NIMHANS, co-hosted by the Bangalore Neurological Society and supported by the Ambassador Program of the MDS Asian & Oceanian section of the International Movement Disorder Society (MDS-AOS).

MDSICON-2017 aimed to bring together the national and International movement disorder specialists and the researchers and practitioners in the field of Movement Disorders, to share their knowledge, expertise and understanding of Parkinson’s disease and other Movement disorders. This was also a historically significant gathering as we commemorated 200 years of diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. Since its initial description by James Parkinson in 1817, there have been tremendous knowledge explosion in the nomenclature, management and understanding of the pathophysiology and genetic basis of this disease. Accordingly, the theme of this conference was “200 years of Parkinson’s Disease: From James to Genes”.

A panel of renowned International and National faculty shared their expertise.  The International faculty included Erik Ch. Wolters, VUMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Zbigniew Wszolek, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA; Irene Litvan, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA; and Alberto Albanese, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.   The faculty from India were Bhim Singhal, Madhuri Behari, Pramod Kumar Pal, Shyamal Das, Uday Muthane, Mohit Bhatt, Rupam Borgohain, Asha Kishore, and Charulata Shankla.  The program covered sessions on (1): Parkinson’s Disease and other Parkinsonian Disorders, (2) Evaluation and Management of Dystonia and Tremor, (3) Medical management of Parkinson’s Disease, (4) Surgical Treatment of Movement Disorders, and (5) Video-based presentations of selected Movement Disorders.

The important topics discussed included differential diagnosis of Parkinsonism, genetics of Parkinson’s disease and dystonia, corticobasal diagnosis, progressive supranuclear palsy and neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation.  Medical management of different stages of Parkinson’s disease including early management, role of continuous dopaminergic stimulation and management strategies of non-motor symptoms were highlights of the course.  Apart from Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson’s disease, DBS for management of dystonia generated great interest among the participants.  Review of techniques for electrophysiological evaluation of movement disorders and use of Botulinum toxin in craniocervical dystonia and writer’s cramp were helpful for the movement disorder specialists attending the course.  Finally, the course concluded with a 3 hours interactive video session covering some of the challenging topics in Movement Disorders such as psychogenic, drug-induced, paroxysmal, paediatric and movement disorder emergencies.