 |
WELCOME LETTERDear Colleague, On behalf of the Congress Committee, I take great pleasure in inviting you to the International Congress on Gait and Mental Function, which will be held in Madrid in February 2006. The “Gait and Mental Function” congress is the first international meeting solely dedicated to this exciting cross-disciplinary topic. The theme of the congress will be unique, in that whilst traditional research into gait primarily focused on the motor control and biomechanics of walking with particular emphasis on its spatial temporal properties, this congress will probe the role of cognitive function such as attention, executive function and visual spatial orientation. The relationships between mental functions, walking and fall risk have recently received much attention in the scientific community and this congress will provide the ideal forum for the discussion of these relationships. One of the aims of the congress is to introduce gerontologists, neurologists, psychiatrists and family physicians to this concept. The Local Organising Committee have developed a framework for what promises to be a memorable Congress. The programme will be creative and is currently evolving through collaboration between local and international experts. The content will be international in scope with a blend of national, regional and international speakers recognised for their academic and clinical achievements. I look forward to welcoming you in Madrid in February 2006. Nir Giladi MD |