WHAT WE DO?

The extent of the burden and etiologies of neurodegenerative diseases, for example, in AfrAbia is hardly clear, as is the ways to reduce and or address this debilitating condition, especially in the aging populations. Part of the problem has been a low understanding and research on neurodegenerative conditions, which could potentially offer solutions through cutting edge translational research. Some African countries, including sub-Saharan have the clinical, research expertise, and the required infrastructure to support research in neurosciences, which in turn would help in tackling the overbearing burden of neurodegenerative diseases. Having said this, in AfrAbia Soaciety (AAS) (Figure 1, 2), we believe that it is important to inspire, motivate and mentor AfrAbian researchers and clinicians trained at a higher level, both abroad and at home in AfrAbia, to take up translational research with a view to improve management and health outcomes on neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, and teach in universities and high schools. Since research in neurosciences is still in the 'embryonic stage" in most of AfrAbian countries, it is our beliefs that by exposing more scholars and clinicians into this field through close interactions with some global authorities in this field, we stand a chance of growing a critical mass of researchers to take the lead in solving the disease burden in the continent. We believe that AAS would encourage more neuroscience research and propel future collaborations in this field. This is of eminent importance to the AAS mission and vision. The main aim of AfrAbia Society is meant to offer an opportunity for collaboration between basic neuroscientists, clinical neurologists, geneticists, epidemiologists, and environmental health experts from African and Arabic countries. We anticipate capacity building, both by interactions between established and AfrAbian investigators and by training of AfrAbian researchers. Ultimately, such activities should lead to the development of regional AfrAbian programs dedicated to a multidisciplinary approach for studying and identifying complex neurodegenerative diseases, such as PD. Although there are some efforts to foster collaboration between these experts, still the cooperation is weak. We believe establishing such society will provide us with a perfect opportunity to gather some scientists from all those sectors and engage the AfrAbian countries. The dialogue between different cultures is a major step forward towards understanding “the others”. We feel that a dialogue that starts through scientific activities such as organizing schools and associated training fellowships is a more attractive and practical way for stopping brain drain and for the advancement of neuroscience for the sake of our mother Africa.