2013 Thomas Willis Award Lecture Causation and Collaboration for Stroke Research

This is pathetic that we can't read the whole Willis lecture. We need to know this because our doctors won't.
http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/early/2013/11/06/STROKEAHA.113.001269.short

1. Eng H. Lo, PhD

+ Author Affiliations

1. From the Departments of Neurology and Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown.

1. Correspondence to Eng H. Lo, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MGH E 149-2401, 13th St, Charlestown, MA 02129. E-mail Lo@helix.mgh.harvard.edu

Abstract

The pathophysiology of stroke is complex. Adaptive and maladaptive signalling occurs between multiple cell types in the brain. There is crosstalk between central and systemic responses. And there are overlapping pathways during initial injury and subsequent repair. These numerous feed-forward and feed-back interactions have made it difficult to translate experimental discoveries into clinical applications. An emerging hypothesis in biomedical research now suggests that contrary to a traditional model, translation may not be efficiently obtained without a rigorous understanding of mechanisms. Hence, to optimize diagnostics and therapeutics for stroke patients, it is necessary to identify and define causal mechanisms. Mirroring the multi-compartment interactions in stroke pathophysiology, bench-to-bedside, and bedside-back-to-bench advances in stroke may be best achieved with inter-disciplinary collaborations between basic research, neuroimaging, and broadly based clinical science. Causation can then be two-fold, ie, dissecting mechanisms and targets, as well as developing future scientists who can blur the boundaries between basic, translational, and clinical research. In systems theory, a critical goal is to distinguish causation from correlation. In stroke research, causation may perhaps be found through a collaborative search for mechanisms.

The 2012 Willis Lecture Toward the Neurovascular Unit A Journey in Clinical Translation

1. Gregory J. del Zoppo, MD

Abstract

The Nobel laureate Max Delbrück often said that it is the crossover between disciplines where advances are possible in science. This certainly has been true for our understanding of the vascular biology of the central nervous system in the setting of ischemic stroke. The ability to cross the boundaries of hemostasis, neurology, hematology, and neuroscience has facilitated our research direction to define the relation of the microvasculature to neuron function. Work begun with the clinical scientific exploration of the contributions of arterial thrombosis to the acute injury processes initiated by focal cerebral ischemia has led to an increased understanding of the effects of ischemia on microvessel integrity.

 

The 2008 Williis Lecture Reflections on the Carotid Artery - 438 BC to 2009 AD

The Willis lectures are great for getting a sense of the stroke world every year.
http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/40/9/3143.full

1. Henry J.M. Barnett, CC, MD, FRCP(C), FACP, FRCP(UK)

the 2007 Willis Lecture Vascular Disease The Tsunami of Health Care

The Willis lectures are great for getting a sense of the stroke world every year.
http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/38/12/3296.full

1. Antoine M. Hakim, OC, MD, PhD, FRCPC

The 2006 Willis Lecture The Adventures of a Translational Researcher in Stroke and Migraine

The Willis lectures are great for getting a sense of the stroke world every year.
http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/38/5/1645.full

1. Michael A. Moskowitz, MD

The 2003 Willis Lecture Evaluating Treatments for Stroke Patients Too Slowly

The Willis lectures are great for getting a sense of the stroke world every year.
http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/35/9/2211.short

1. Charles Warlow, MD, FRCP, FMedSci

The 2002 Thomas Willis Lecture Adventures in the Pathophysiology of Brain Ischemia Penumbra, Gene Expression, Neuroprotection

The Willis lectures are great for getting a sense of the stroke world every year.
http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/34/1/214.abstract

1. Myron D. Ginsberg, MD

The 2001 Willis Lecture Oxygen Radicals in Cerebral Ischemia

The Willis lectures are great for getting a sense of the stroke world every year.
http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/32/11/2712.abstract

1. Hermes A. Kontos, MD, PhD

The 2000 Wilis lecture Brain Plasticity and Stroke Rehabilitation

The Willis lectures are great for getting a sense of the stroke world every year.
http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/31/1/223.full
Barbro B. Johansson, MD, PhD

brain plasticity and stroke rehabilitation 1999

http://stroke.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/31/1/223
The Willis Lecture
Presented as the Willis Lecture at the 24th American Heart Association International Conference on Stroke and Cerebral Circulation, Nashville, Tenn, February 4, 1999
Current Concepts on Brain Plasticity
Sections:
Introduction
Current Concepts on Brain Plasticity
Possible Mechanisms Behind Brain Plasticity
Spontaneous Events and Training Effects
Enriched Environment and Neurotrophic Factors
Pharmacological Interventions
What Is the Possible Role of Neurogenesis?
Transplantation
Clinical Evidence for Reorganization of Cortical Networks
Stroke Units and Early Training
Age and Plasticity
Concluding Remarks
References

For something that was so farsighted 12 years ago we finally seem to be getting back to it with Clarkes' and Moskowitz theories. My doctors obviously never got the memo; neither did anyone else. At least from what survivors write about, we have millions that are in the dark. My solution to that is to put a cognitive survivor in charge, this every person for themselves is an exercise in stupidity.