Minister of Health of the Republic of Latvia Dr. Hosams Abu Meri

President of World Psychiatric Association Prof. Danuta Wasserman

President of Latvian Psychiatric Association Prof. Maris Taube

Abstract: The future of medicine and psychiatry will be shaped by powerful social and economic trends – such as urbanization and horizontalization of human relationships – and it is of essential importance to adjust the training in medicine and psychiatry as well as the organization of mental health services to the changes of society and of medicine which these trends will produce. The presentation will describe these trends and their impact and make suggestions about the way in which medicine and psychiatry should respond in order to remain useful and effective.

Speakers: 

Shahram Shaygani (Norway). "What should a psychiatrists do; how do we shapeour role in the treatment team?"

Maria Larsson (Sweden). "The future role of a psychiatrist and how we shape the role together"

Erfan Jahangiri (Finland). "Characteristic and outcome of mentally ill in assisted living according to service level – a three-year outcome study from Finland"

Speakers:

Agne Stanyte (PhD student- early career), Lithuania.  "Mental Fatigue in Individuals with Psychiatric Disorders"

Prof. Vesta Steibliene, Lithuania. "Fatigue and the Role of Personality"

Julius Burkauskas (PhD. - mid career) Lithuania-UK. "Fatigue, Social Support, and Depression in Individuals with Coronary Artery Disease"

Marija Abeltina (PhD. - mid career), Latvia. "Mental Health and Work Engagement as Predictors of Different Burnout Conceptualizations"

Programme:

9.00-9.10 Erika Jääskeläinen (Finland). "Welcome and introduction - Effectiveness on neuromodulation treatments" 

9.10-9.30 MD Matias Leppäaho (Finland) "Increase in the use of electroconvulsive therapy between 2012-2022 in the Northern Finland"

9.30-10.00 MD, CMO, President Emeritus of SPA Martin Hulten (Sweden). "Results from The Swedish National Quality Registry for ECT" 

10.00-10.20 MD Saana Karttunen, (Finland). "Use and experience of rTMS in acute and maintenance treatment in Finland"

10.20-10.30 discussion and closing of the symposium

Draft agenda 

11:00-11:10 Opening and introduction

11:10-11:35 Understanding the relationship between cognition and functioning in schizophrenia and its impact to daily living (tbd)

11:35-12:00 Evaluation and monitoring of cognition in patients with schizophrenia in clinical practice (Camilla Barthel Flaaten, Norway)

12:00-12:15 Future of management of cognitive impairement in schizophrenia (Liene Sīle, Latvia)

12:15-12:30 Discussion and closing.

Abstract: With a 12-month prevalence of 14% and around 61.5 million people affected in the European Union, anxiety disorders are among the most common mental illnesses and are associated with a high socio-economic burden. This plenary lecture will present the latest data on epidemiology, taxonomy, etiology as well as psychotherapeutic and pharmacotherapeutic approaches to anxiety disorders.

Speakers:

Dr. Liene Vitola, CAP, Chair of Young Psychiatrist section of Latvian Psychiatric Association (Latvia). "Becoming a child and adolescents psychiatrist in Latvia: pros and cons of existing system"

Dr. Ulrika Larsson (Norway). "The role of NCP in securing high standard psychiatrists in Norway"

Dr. Ramune Mazaliauskiene, President of the Nordic Psychiatric association (Lithuania). "The education of young psychiatrists in Lithuania"

Speakers:

Assistant Prof. Oddur Ingimarsson (Iceland). "ADHD medication and psychotic episodes, prevalence in Iceland". 

Prof. Engibert Sigurðsson (Iceland). "Why is antipsychotic prescribing common for individuals on ADHD medication?"

Assistant Prof. Guðrún Dóra Bjarnadóttir (Iceland). "Methylphenidate is the drug of choice among iv substance abusers in Iceland" 

Speakers:

Marika Garnizone (Latvia). "Early intervention team for first time psychosis patients - Latvian experience"

Liina Haring (Estonia). „Research on schizophrenia spectrum disorders in Estonia: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow“

Liisa Leppik (Estonia). "Biomarkers in the early course of psychotic disorders”

Karola Peebo (Estonia). „First-episode psychosis integrative treatment: Estonian experience“

1. Martin Balslev Jørgensen, Denmark. "Trends and publications in the Nordic Journal of Psychiatry“ 

2. Jelena Vrublevska, Latvia. "Depression, distress, and selfreported changes in anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts during the COVID-19 state of emergency in Latvia" 

3. Merete Nordentoft, Denmark. "Incidence rates and employment trends in schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bipolar affective disorders and recurrent depression in Denmark" 

4. Martin Balslev Jørgensen, Denmark. "Treatment of difficult-to-treat depression - clinical guideline for selected interventions"

Speakers:

Prof. Elmars Rancans. "Concomitant drug abuse as a hurdle in schizophrenia recovery"

Prof. Stephen Hjorth. "Dopamine D3 receptors in the treatment of dual schizophrenia & SUD"

Assoc. prof. Jelena Vrublevska. "Evidence-based patient treatment – the way from polypharmacy to monotherapy in dual schizophrenia"

Abstract: Comorbid substance use disorder is a major hurdle in the schizophrenia recovery process. To successfully treat dual schizophrenia an integrated and personalized approach needs to be considered. The symposium aims to present the problem of dual schizophrenia and its impact on the recovery of patients. It addresses the benefits of partial agonist drugs in the treatment of the disorder and discusses aspects of antipsychotic polypharmacy, offering a pharmacological rationale and guidance for the use of APs in a real-world setting. Finally, a case presentation where polypharmacy was successfully applied in a dual disorder patient in clinical practice will round up the symposium.

Speakers:

Liene Sīle (Latvia). "The changes in Latvian Mental Health care system – jump between galaxies" 

Prof. Thomas Pollmächer (EPA, Germany). "European Psychiatric Association Code of Ethics" 

Ramune Mazaliauskiene (Lithuania). "Psychiatry and Global changes: C19 influences on Mental Health Care"

Speakers:

1. Steinn Steingrimsson. "A quiz-based module on clinical psychopharmacology improves learning for medical students attending psychiatry" 

2. Matias Leppäaho. "Increase in the use of electroconvulsive therapy between 2012–2022 in Northern Finland“ 

3. Jouko Miettunen. "Depressive and anxiety symptoms in two birth cohorts born 20 years apart" 

4. Vineta Viktorija Vinogradova. "Unveiling Substance Use Disorder prevalence and correlates in the general population of Latvia" 

1. WPA President, Prof. Danuta Wasserman, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. "Determinants and prevention of suicidal behavior“ 

2. WPA President elect, Prof. Thomas Schulze, Ludwig Maximilian University, Germany & Syracuse university, New York, USA. "Genomics as a key to understanding suicidal behavior" 

3. Prof. Margda Waern, Gothenburg University, Sweden. "Suicidal behavior in older adults" 

Abstract: Menopause is a natural event, which women experience around age 50. It is defined as the final menstrual period and is preceded by many years of “menopausal transition” associated with marked biological, especially hormonal, changes. Although it is a physiological process, especially the fluctuations and final loss of estrogen activity may have a negative impact on mental well-being; lead to vasomotor symptoms, sleep disturbances, sexual problems, cognitive decline, and depressive symptoms; and may even contribute to an upsurge in the incidence of severe mental disorders such as depressive disorders or schizophrenic psychoses. In addition to these biological changes, for women this phase of life is often burdened with numerous psychosocial stressors, role changes, losses, and the experience of aging. This has many implications for the clinic and for research. In the clinic the specific diagnostic and therapeutic needs of women of this age group have always to be taken into account. Appropriate treatment strategies should not only include specific psychotherapeutic and psychosocial interventions but also consider estrogen replacement where indicated in addition to standard psychiatric care. The latter of course has always to be based on a thorough individual risk-benefit assessment and decided on in close cooperation with gynecologists and the well-informed woman herself. While many studies suggest a benefit in perimenopausal depression, there still is a lack of well-designed studies on the indications and contraindications of estrogen replacement in perimenopausal women at risk for or suffering from other mental disorders. Further research is needed, especially regarding perimenopause and schizophrenic psychoses, the relative risk of hormone replacement as compared to treatment with psychoactive drugs or the best augmentation strategies. Last but not least, we need more research on psychotherapies addressing the specific needs of women of this age group.

Programme:

13:40-13:45 Ramune Mazaliauskiene (Lithuania) and Maria Larsson (Sweden). "Introduction of the Symposium"

13:45-13:55 Andres Lehmets (Estonia). "History of the Nordic-Baltic Collaboration"

13:55 - 14:05 Maria Larsson (Sweden). "Future of the Nordic Collaboration"

14:05 - 14.15 Ramune Mazaliauskiene (Lithuania). "What is to be a Part of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA)?"

Speakers:

Prof. Merete Nordentoft (Denmark) and Mikkel Rasmussen (Denmark). "A "ten-year plan" - how the Danish Health Authoroties aim to Improve the Quality of Teatment" 

René Sjælland (Denmark). "Recruitment and Retention – what can Psychiatry do to attract employees in a competitive market?"

Programme:

13:40 - 14:10. Prof. Māris Taube (Latvia). "Changing Treatment Paradigms of Depression Patients in Latvia"

14:10 - 14:30. Prof. Eduard Maron (Estonia). "Treatment of depression: Why monoamine inhibitors is not enough?"

14:30 - 14:50. Prof. Vesta Steibliene (Lithuania). "Practical Aspects and Importance of the outcomes from the MEMORY (vortioxetin) study"

14:50 - 15:00. Questions to speakers, panel discussion