Preliminary Program for the First Joint Meeting of SLTBR and AAMCC

May 28-30, 2004

 

Friday, May 28

 

2:00-4:00 PM             SLTBR Board Meeting

 

7:00-9:00 PM             Welcome Reception and Poster Session I:

 

Chronophysiology, Medical Chronobiology, and Chronotherapeutics and Seasonal Affective Disorder, Light Therapy, and Melatonin

 

 

Saturday, May 29

 

7:30-8:45 AM             Registration, Continental Breakfast, Corporate Exhibits

 

8:45- 9:00 AM            Welcome: Anthony Levitt MD, President, SLTBR and Erhard Haus MD, PhD, President, AAMCC         

 

9:00-11:30 AM           Plenary Session I:

 

The Interface of Cardiovascular Disease and Depressive Disorders: A Chronobiological Perspective

 

Overview: Epidemiological studies indicate a very strong association between cardiovascular diseases and depression, although more work is needed to delineate the specific mechanisms involved. In this session, a brief case report will introduce and highlight several chronobiological issues that may contribute to the overlap of cardiovascular disease and mood disorders.  Various models of pathology will be considered, covering biological rhythms, social rhythms, and administration-time-dependent side effects of medications.. The role of targeted treatment strategies based on novel chronotherapeutic approaches also will be considered.

 

Session Topics:

 

1.      Hypertension, Cardiovascular Disease and Depression

 

2.      The Chronobiology of Depression

 

3.      Blood Pressure Circadian Rhythms in Hypertension and Their Etiology

 

4.      The Chronobiology of Cardiovascular Disease

 

5.      Current and Future potential Chronotherapies of Hypertension and Ischemic Heart Disease (20 Minutes)

 

Discussion: Chronobiology at the interface of medical/psychiatric co-morbidity: pathophysiology and treatment issues.

 

11:30 AM - 12 PM                 SLTBR Junior Investigator Award and Research Presentation

 

12 PM- 1:30 PM                    Lunch

 

1:30 PM- 3:30 PM                 Oral Presentations:  Seasonal Affective Disorder, Light Therapy, and Melatonin

 

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM                SLTBR Business meeting (all invited)

 

4:30 PM – 6:00 PM               Poster Session II:

 

Chronobiology and chronotherapy of Depression, Hypertension, Cardiovascular Disease, Appetite, Food Consumption, and Physical Activity, and Seasonal Affective Disorder, Light Therapy, and Melatonin

 

7:00 PM – 10:00 PM             Reception and Banquet                    

           

            Sunday, May 30

 

8:00 AM – 10:30 AM            Plenary Session II.

 

Chronobiological Issues in the Pathophysiology of Appetite Regulation and Management of Obesity and Eating Disorders

 

Overview: It is well established that obesity is increasing at epidemic rates around the world, with enormous costs in terms of decreased quality of life, long-term morbidity and mortality, and financial strain to health care systems. Current approaches to obesity may be limited in their relative lack of consideration of chronobiological and chronobehavioral factors related to eating behavior, nutrient selection and physical activity. In this session a number of chronobiological issues in the etiology and management of obesity will be considered, including circadian, circamensual, and circannual rhythms of eating behavior and body weight regulation on the one hand, and altered activity rhythms on the other. Understanding how modern environmental and societal factors might disrupt normal rhythms of eating and activity to produce obesity will be considered.  The session will end with a group discussion of how the field of chronobiology can contribute to the understanding, prevention, and treatment of this major health problem.

 

Session Topics:

 

1.      Introduction to Eating Disorders

2.      Epidemiology of Obesity in Children and Adults

3.      Chronobiologic Regulation of Appetite and Feeding: Pre-clinical and Human Models

4.      Normal and Abnormal Nocturnal, Menstrual Cycle and Seasonal Human Eating Behaviors

5.      Progress in the (Chrono)pharmacotherapy of Obesity

 

Discussion: Contribution of the field of Chronobiology to the understanding, prevention, and treatment of obesity and eating disorders

 

 

10:30 AM- 12:00 PM            Oral Presentations:  Seasonal Affective Disorder, Light Therapy, Melatonin, and Chronotherapeutics

 

12:00 PM- 12:15 PM          Closing Remarks

 

 

1:30 PM – 5:00 PM   CME Course:

 

I. Light Therapy for SAD

Learning objectives:
A. To identify patients most likely to respond to light treatment.
B. To learn a standardized protocol for light treatment in SAD patients.
C. To become familiar with the different light units available.
D. To consider safety issues with various light treatments.

II. Non-light treatments for SAD
         Learning objectives:
         A.  To review response rates for light therapy in SAD.
         B.  To review studies comparing light therapy and medication.
         C.  To learn about which medicines have been shown to work for SAD.
         D.  To learn about other alternative approaches to SAD.

 

III. Clinical Chronobiology

Learning objectives:

A. To learn about rhythm-disturbances as causal of functional and organic disorders

B. To review rhythms in human disease and their symptoms

C. To discuss biological rhythm-dependencies of common diagnostic tests.

 

IV. Chronopharmacology and Chronotherapy of Medications

Learning objectives:
A. To review concepts and mechanisms of chronopharmacology (administration-time

    differences in the pharamcokinetics and effects) of medications.        

B. To present examples of chronopharmacokinetics and chronodynamics.
C. To discuss the rationale for the chronotherapy of medications.
D. To review current chronotherapies in clinical use today.