World Parkinson's Day: Join Us for a Day of Awareness, Action and Hope

World Parkinson’s Day | April 11, 2025

The SCAN Centre hosted an event focused around the theme “Parkinson’s Disease and Beyond” bringing together leading neurologists from across the city. Dr. Ravindra Gudi, Dean of Alumni and Corporate Relations, inaugurated the event. The event aimed to shed light on the disease’s underlying mechanisms, diagnostic approaches used by neurologists, strategies for disease management, current assistive technologies, and the potential for developing new innovations to support patients living with this challenging condition.

Dr. Neeraj Jain, Prof., Head of Neurology Department from KEM Hospital, Mumbai, delivered a talk titled “Understanding Parkinson’s Disease and the Conventional Ways for the Management of PD.”

Dr. Jain delivered an in-depth talk covering the epidemiology and pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). He further discussed the direct and indirect pathways, the role of neurotransmitters. The talk also covered genetic and environmental risk factors, motor and non-motor symptoms, stages and progression of PD, current treatment options, advancements in therapy, and future directions in PD management.

His comprehensive talk provided valuable insights into the complex nature of Parkinson’s disease and emphasized the importance of continued research and innovation in improving patient outcomes.

Dr. Pettarusp Wadia, Consultant Neurologist and Movement Disorder Specialist at Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre in Mumbai, presented a talk on “Awareness and Recent Diagnostic & Therapeutic Advancements for PD”.

In his insightful talk, Prof. Wadia discussed the clinical symptoms and progression of Parkinson’s disease (PD), highlighting clinical, biochemical, and genetic biomarkers, as well as imaging techniques. He also highlighted recent advances such as MIBG imaging for distinguishing PD from other neurodegenerative disorders like MSA and the benefits of cutting-edge treatments such as Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS).

He also covered current diagnostic approaches, therapeutic strategies, and management of complications such as dyskinesia, along with emerging disease-modifying treatments.

His talk offered a comprehensive overview of both the challenges and evolving solutions in the diagnosis and management of PD.

Dr. Sachin Adukia, Consultant Neurologist at Dr L H Hiranandani Hospital, Powai, delivered a talk on “Assistive Technology and Devices for Better Management of PD,” where he highlighted the importance of the three key cues—visual, auditory, and tactile—in managing Parkinson’s Disease. He also shared valuable insights into various assistive technologies including, the use of virtual reality devices currently available in the market, which are being utilized for gait and balance training to help patients overcome mobility challenges.

He also emphasized how the integration of technology and the development of simple assistive devices can enhance daily living and significantly improve the quality of life for PD patients.

Dr. Priya Pallavi, an Institute Postdoctoral Fellow at IIT Bombay, presented a talk on a technology currently under research aimed at the early detection of Parkinson’s Disease and other neurodegenerative disorders through an online interactive platform.

By merging clinical expertise with real-world challenges, this initiative offered researchers meaningful insights into the obstacles neurologists encounter in providing solutions for managing the daily activities of Parkinson’s Disease patients, opening up a wide range of opportunities to develop innovative technological solutions for improved treatment.