The International Organization of Neuropsychiatry was formed in Seville in 1996 and
its first congress was held as a satellite meeting of the World Psychiatric Association in
Madrid. Two years later, it was reformed to International Neuropsychiatric
Association (INA), and the 2nd Congress was held in Toronto (1998). Since then, the
scientific congresses have been held biennially, namely in Kyoto (2000), Buenos Aires
(2002), Athens (2004), Sydney (2006) and Cancun (2008). All the meetings have been
successful and fruitful to stimulate the scientific activities in neuropsychiatry. And, the
coming Congresses will be in Chennai (2011) and Chicago (2013). Besides the
biennial international congresses, European Congresses have been held every two years
since 2006, and the Kobe Conference will be held in Japan in 2009.
The INA has made remarkable achievements in the field of neuropsychiatry by
continuous efforts of members worldwide under the leadership of the former presidents,
Dr. Colin Shapiro (Toronto), Dr. Moises Gaviria (Chicago), Dr. Perminder Sachdev
(Sydney) and Dr.Constantin Soldatos (Athens). And it grew up to be the truly
international association by providing a platform for the worldwide collaborations of
neuropsychiatrists.
As it is said in the INA mission statement, the INA aims to prevent or reduce the
suffering of people with brain-behavior disorders by increasing, integrating, and
disseminating knowledge and understanding of the relationship between brain function
and brain behavior. The INA aims to accomplish this objective by providing a forum for interaction and exchange of ideas among a variety of professionals with an interest
in neuropsychiatric issues. The INA endeavors to publicize and disseminate both
clinical and academic advances in the field to bring about improved health for people
throughout the world. Although rapidly advancing medical technology has greatly
expanded the frontiers of neuropsychiatry, the INA will strive to preserve the humanistic
values of medicine. The INA endeavors to raise awareness of neuropsychiatry
particularly in those countries where it is not well known or recognized.
Cerebral disorders almost always cause psychiatric symptoms. Therefore,
integration of neurology and psychiatry is necessary for the clinical procedures to
relieve the distress of patients with brain disorders.
In psychiatric field, neuropsychiatry has been trying to deepen our understanding of
psychiatric disorders from a viewpoint of neurobiology. As you know, recent
investigations with current neuroscience have been widening the perspective of
neuropsychiatry by revealing the neurobiological bases of so called functional
psychiatric disorders.
It was a great honor for me to succeed a presidency at Cancun Congress in December
2008. Since then, I am working as INA president for the further development of
association. I am really pleased to work together with excellent INA members
worldwide to activate the field of neuropsychiatry in the future.
We welcome anyone, who is interested in neuropsychiatry, to join to the INA as a
new member. Please join us. Let’s work together to bring happiness to the individuals,
suffering with neuropsychiatric disorder.
With my best regards, Professor Koho Miyoshi
INA President
Japan
