As people's life spans have increased in Western countries, there has been a dramatic increase in the prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. As the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder, and the second most outstanding neurological disorder as regards prevalence (2%), Parkinson's Disease affects around 1% of the population above the age of 60. This accounts for 10,000 people in the UK (50,000 in the USA; 8,000 in Spain) diagnosed each year, i.e. around 120,000 individuals affected in the UK (500,000 in the USA; 100,000 in Spain). Prospective statistical analyses based on the ageing population have predicted a doubling of these figures over the next 40 years.

Named after the Londoner Dr. James Parkinson (1755-1824), the classic form of the disease is characterized clinically by rigidity, resting tremor, bradykinesia and postural instability. The disorder is associated with a progressive loss of the nerve cells responsible for producing dopamine, which signals movement co-ordination, in the Substantia Nigra. Although Parkinson's is not inherited directly (apart from exceptionally rare cases, i.e. up to 5%), some people may inherit a genetic susceptibility to developing the disease when combined with other factors, such as environmental toxins or viruses. Partly due to this sporadic appearance, the aetiology of the disease today remains obscure.

With a view to updating our knowledge of the clinical features of this disease, obtaining new advances in understanding the mechanism (s) involved in dopaminergic cell death and developing novel therapeutic strategies against this disorder, the Ramón Areces Foundation is organising an International Symposium on Novel Advances in Parkinson's Disease. Top-level specialized physicians and researchers in Parkinson's Disease will meet in Salamanca with the hope of gaining new insights and updating and discussing their expert knowledge about the disease. From the unexpected roles of newly discovered genes involved in the disease, novel advances in diagnosis, together with gene and stem cell therapeutic strategies aimed at combating it, will be emphasized. We shall offer the possibility for both young and already established researchers to present recent, high quality results on all aspects related to Parkinson's Disease in the form of posters.

POSTERS AND ABSTRACTS

Those people interested in presenting a Poster should tick the corresponding box in the registration form and submit an abstract.

The number of posters is limited to 48. If the number of poster applications received is greater than this, a selection will be made, and the authors of the rejected ones will be notified before Friday the 23rd May.

Poster dimensions are 100 cm x 110 cm (wide x high). Abstract should be typed in English, and it should contain the following information:

• Type of document: Word.
• Type of font: Times New Roman 12 points (please, avoid special characters and symbol).
• Spaces between lines: single.
• Maximum length.
• Title in bold.
• Authors in the following format, underlining the presenting author: Bolaños JP, Medina JM and Williamson DH.