PROGRAMME for FAND 2009 - 24 September 2009 - Magdalen College, Oxford

Fatty Acids And Neurodevelopmental Disorders Research Workshop (FAND 2009) - Thursday, 24th September 2009 - Magdalen College, University of Oxford

PROGRAMME (downloadable in PDF below)

Increasing evidence indicates that dietary fatty acids (and particularly the omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturates) play a role in a wide range of neurodevelopmental, psychiatric and neurological disorders, and may also affect mood, behaviour and learning in the general population. The aim of this multi-disciplinary workshop is to bring together researchers, practitioners, policymakers and others with an active interest in this area, to share the latest research findings and their implications.

Omega-3 and omega-6 fats are essential for normal brain development and function, but they must be obtained from the diet. These fatty acids help to regulate cardiovascular, hormonal and immune systems. They also influence gene expression, so along with other essential nutrients, they are key elements of the interface between 'nature' and 'nurture'. Official dietary intakes have not yet been established in Europe or the US, partly because different forms of omega-3 and omega-6 have different effects, and because their relative balance is also important. It is now widely accepted, however, that relative omega-3 deficiencies can contribute to many systemic physical health disorders, and in some cases this has led to treatment recommendations. The role of dietary fatty acids in mental health and performance may prove to be even more important, but further research is needed to inform policy and practice in these areas.

The term 'Neurodevelopmental Disorders' is broadly interpreted here, including conditions first evident in childhood (such as ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and autism) and others that usually manifest later in life (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and some neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease). These are all complex disorders, with no single cause. In some cases, genetic and psychosocial risk factors have been clearly identified, although there still remain few effective treatments. By contrast, nutritional approaches have been relatively neglected in both research and clinical practice, despite their potential benefits in the management - and possibly the prevention - of these conditions, which impose huge costs not only on those directly affected, but on society as a whole.

In September 2001, the Trustees and Scientific Advisors of FAB Research held a workshop on 'Fatty Acids in Neurodevelopmental Disorders' in Oxford (FAND 2001). That meeting led to several new and highly fruitful collaborations that are still yielding results today. Its rich legacy includes:

• Forging links between researchers from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) and others at the US National Institutes of Health and Oxford (leading to groundbreaking studies of how dietary omega-3 intakes during pregnancy relate to both child developmental outcomes and mothers' mental health, and new studies focusing on gene-nutrient interactions)
• Facilitating the influential 'Oxford-Durham study' by Dr. Alex Richardson and Dr. Paul Montgomery (showing benefits for reading, spelling and behaviour from fatty acid supplementation in children with developmental coordination disorder, and leading to other school studies now ongoing)
• Fostering further studies, led by Bernard Gesch and Professor John Stein at Oxford, of the impact of nutrition on antisocial behaviour in prisoners (and other investigations to extend this work into community settings)

The time is now ripe to revisit this theme, and so FAB Research extends a warm welcome to you to join in the workshop at Magdalen College in Oxford on the 24th September. A wide range of interests is represented and all delegates are encouraged to make an active contribution. Options include: submitting abstracts for poster or brief oral presentations; contributing to the question / answer and general discussion at the end of each workshop session; and liaising with other delegates to share information and make new collaborations.

Wednesday 23rd September

6.00-8.00pm - Reception and Poster viewing

Thursday 24th September

9.00-10.30am - Session I: Neurodevelopmental Disorders: An Integrated Approach

• Diet and brain development: the role of fatty acids in mental health and performance
• Diagnostic issues in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders
• Individual differences: Dimensional and categorical perspectives
• Clinical insights into neurodevelopmental disorders: from ADHD to schizophrenia
• Perception, attention and action in dyslexia and related conditions

10.30-11.00am - Refreshment Break

11.00-12.30pm - Session II: The Genetics and Neurobiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Nature and Nurture

• Genes, brains and behaviour in dyslexia and related conditions: Genetic, immunological and hormonal influences on brain structure and function
• Omega-3 and early brain development: Impact of the nutritional environment
• Gene-nutrient interactions: Fatty acid desaturase (FADS) genes and their implications
• FADS, breastfeeding and children's intelligence
• Maternal omega-3 intakes during pregnancy in relation to visual, motor and cognitive development in children, and maternal mental health

12.30-1.30pm - LUNCH

1.30-2.30pm - MAIN POSTER SESSION

2.30-4.00pm - Session III: Clinical Treatment Trials and Other Approaches to Establishing Optimal Fatty Acid Intakes

• Clinical trials of fatty acids in infants (visual and cognitive development)
• Clinical trials of fatty acids for child behaviour and learning (ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, the autistic spectrum and general population studies)
• Clinical trials of fatty acids for mood, behaviour and cognition in adolescents and adults (antisocial behaviour, depression, bipolar disorder, the schizophrenia spectrum, and age-related cognitive decline)
• Beyond fatty acids: other key micronutrients affecting mood, behaviour and learning
• Establishing Optimal Fatty Acid Intakes - What evidence do we need?

4.00-4.15pm Refreshment Break

4.15-5.30pm - Session IV: Implications for Research and Practice

• Research priorities and methods in the study of FAND
• Diagnosis revisited: traits, features, symptoms and the need for 'endophenotypes'
• Biomarkers: issues in the assessment of fatty acid status and metabolism
• Clinical treatment trials - design and methodology: what questions can we answer?
• Dietary intakes of omega-3 and omega-6: implications for current policy and practice

Keynote Contributors (brief oral presentations)

• Professor Gordon Bell, University of Stirling, UK
• Professor Gordon Claridge, Oxford University, UK
• Professor Michael Crawford, London Metropolitan University, UK
• Dr Pauline Emmett, University of Bristol, UK
• Professor Albert Galaburda, University of Harvard, USA
• Mr Bernard Gesch, University of Oxford, UK
• Dr Ben Goldacre, University of Oxford, UK
• Rachel Gow, Kings College, London
• Professor Sheila Innis, University of British Columbia, Canada
• Dr Dianne Lefevre, Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychopherapy, UK
• Dr Paul Montgomery, University of Oxford, UK
• Dr Alex Richardson, University of Oxford, UK
• Professor John Stein, University of Oxford, UK