Geriatric Section

The Geriatric Neurology Section focuses on neurologic disorders of the elderly. Although there is no strict age delimitation, geriatric neurology generally encompasses patients aged 65 years and older. The scope of geriatric neurology includes an understanding of the effects of usual aging on the nervous system, the special vulnerabilities of the aging nervous system, the neurologic disorders that frequently affect the elderly, and the methods of neurologic evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and management as modified to accommodate the geriatric population. The purview of geriatric neurology includes the neurology of normal aging; mild cognitive impairment; Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia; gait disorders; Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders; cerebrovascular disease; other age-associated illnesses of the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, and muscle; and medication effects on the nervous system. A major focus of geriatric neurology is the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of cognitively impaired older adults.

Geriatric neurology overlaps with several areas of neurology, including behavioral neurology, movement disorders, stroke, sleep disorders, and neurorehabilitation. Geriatric neurology interfaces with other medical and allied health fields, including: geriatric internal medicine and family medicine, geriatric psychiatry, long-term care medicine, rehabilitation, urology, orthopedics, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, sleep medicine, pain and palliative care, pharmacology, psychology, medical ethics, occupational therapy, physical therapy, nursing, and social work.

• Connect with Colleagues in Your Area of Interest
• Finding Information Is Easier Than Ever
• Get Involved with AAN Sections
• Neurologists Asked to Monitor Patients for Post-Vaccine Related GBS
• Important: Update Your Membership Contact Information Today
• Letter from the Chair

Submit Geriatric Neurology Abstracts Now for 2011 AAN Annual Meeting

Online abstract submission for the Scientific Program at the 2011 AAN Annual Meeting in Hawaii is now open and the deadline to submit abstracts is October 25, 2010. Selected research abstracts will be presented in exciting scientific programs and showcased in high profile scientific sessions and popular poster sessions. Submit your geriatric neurology research now!

Special Sessions

In addition to the scientific sessions and poster sessions, abstracts are sought for the Future of Neuroscience Conference: Implications of ADNI for Treatment and Specialists in Focus: Cognitive Aging: Bench to Bedside, a special, intensive program designed for subspecialists, combining education courses with Integrated Neuroscience Sessions.

New Nanosymposium

This year the AAN will offer for the first time a nanosymposium. The nanosymposium will consist of abstracts from multiple institutions on a similar topic. When abstracts are submitted, researchers can note that they would like their abstract to be linked to the abstracts of their collaborators. Talk to your collaborators and submit your abstracts for the nanosymposium.

AAN members and nonmembers alike can submit abstracts, and no sponsors are required. Submission is free for graduate students, post-doctoral candidates, and medical students; $25 for AAN members not in these categories; and $75 for nonmember first authors. Previously presented or published abstracts will be accepted with prior presentation disclosure.

Present your geriatric neurology research at the world's largest gathering of neurologists and neuroscience professionals! Submit your abstracts today at www.aan.com/go/am11.

Apply Now for Geriatric Neurology Research Awards

Apply now or nominate a colleague for the following AAN awards: the Research Award in Geriatric Neurology for those beginning their journey in geriatric research, and the Potamkin Prize for Research in Pick?s, Alzheimer?s, and Related Diseases for those who are well into their research journey. Award recipients will be recognized at the 63rd Annual Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 9 through 16, 2011.

Research Award in Geriatric Neurology

The Geriatric Neurology award recognizes individuals in the early stages of their careers who have made an independent contribution to geriatric neurology research. To be eligible, you must be no more than 10 years from completion of your most recent training program and no higher academic rank than assistant professor. You also must have carried out independent research (clinical, basic, or multidisciplinary) in the field of geriatric neurology.

Apply today for the Research Award in Geriatric Neurology

The winner of the 2010 Research in Geriatric Neurology Award was Liana Apostolova, MD, from Los Angeles, CA.  The Research Award in Geriatric Neurology Subcommittee stated "Dr. Apostolova?s award recognizes her contributions to application of cutting-edge magnetic resonance imaging and position emission tomography to studies of Alzheimer?s disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCTI).  Her pioneering work on development and validation of a high-throughput automated hippocampal segmentation technique has permitted analysis of very large neuroimaging datasets, and it led to a highly cited publication on prediction of conversion of MCI to AD based upon hippocampal atrophy maps."

Potamkin Prize for Research in Pick's, Alzheimer's, and Related Diseases

The Potamkin Prize recognizes major contributions to the understanding of the causes, prevention, treatment, and cure for Pick's, Alzheimer's, and related diseases. To be eligible, you must be in any of the following biological disciplines: neurology, neuropathology, biochemistry, molecular biology, molecular genetics, chemistry, pharmacology, immunology, physiology, or cell biology.

Apply today for the Potamkin Prize for Research in Pick's, Alzheimer's, and Related Diseases.

Applications are due November 1.

Sign Up for Free Electronic FDA Patient Safety Alerts

The American Academy of Neurology and the Health Care Notification Network have teamed up to offer AAN members a free online service that delivers timely neurology-specific FDA-mandated patient safety drug alerts electronically. This new AAN member benefit is free to members who wish to receive it; however, it is necessary to sign up in order to participate in the program. Participants may also opt out at any time.

The HCNN is the only network that delivers FDA-required drug alerts for recalls and warnings to physicians and prescribers online. This new program is an excellent opportunity for you to quickly and conveniently stay current on specialty-specific FDA alerts in order to provide the safest and best possible care for your patients. And because these alerts are targeted by specialty, not all doctors get all alerts; therefore, you can expect to receive less than one alert per week, on average.

Don't be the last to know about prescription recalls and warnings—visit today to learn more and enroll in this free AAN member benefit!

Apply Now for a 2011 Clinical Research Training Fellowship in Neurology

The AAN Foundation is now accepting applications for several Clinical Research Training Fellowships in neurology for 2011. Fellowships provide recipients with salary and tuition stipends, allowing them protected time to complete clinical research projects and take the next step toward a career in neurologic research. Most applications are due by Friday, October 1, 2010*. Apply now for one of the following fellowships:

Clinical Research Training Fellowships

• AAN Foundation Clinical Research Training Fellowship in Headache
• AAN Foundation Clinical Research Training Fellowship (topic determined by applicant)
• NEW! Susan S. Spencer, MD - AAN Foundation/American Epilepsy Society and the Epilepsy Foundation Clinical Research Training Fellowship in Epilepsy

Clinician-Scientist Development Awards

Three-year awards to support clinical research leading to discovery of new therapies in specific disease areas.

• AAN Foundation/Parkinson's Disease Clinician-Scientist Development Award
• AAN Foundation/ALS Clinician-Scientist Development Award
• National MS Society/AAN Foundation Clinician-Scientist Development Award (Deadline for this fellowship is August 13, 2010)*

Practice Research Training Fellowship

A two-year award to support training in clinical practice research and is intended to create unique training opportunities, previously difficult to access for neurologists. A single practice fellowship is available for 2011.

Apply online by October 1, 2010. For more information, contact Terry Heinz at theinz@aan.com or (651) 695-2746.

Up to $10,000 Available for Education Research Grants

Proposals Due September 3, 2010

Two to four awards—ranging from $5,000 to $10,000—are available through the AAN's Education Research Grant program for projects that can help improve the neurologic education of AAN member residents and fellows, medical students, practicing neurologists, and non-neurologists. The application deadline is September 3, 2010.

The program was designed to strengthen the AAN's education programs for quality improvement and credentialing purposes and train neurologic educators to perform and publish education research as one component of career development for academic educators.

AAN Active and Associate members are encouraged to apply—and to persuade their colleagues to do the same. Those who have previously applied are also welcome to submit new proposals by simply re-submitting the prior proposal along with a brief description of how the new proposal is different.

Information guidelines and grant applications are available at www.aan.com/go/education/eduresearch. For more information, contact Nancy Poechmann at npoechmann@aan.com or (651) 695-2812.

UCNS Geriatric Neurology Accreditation Application Deadline

The accreditation application deadlines are as follows: July 1, for fall review, and December 31, for spring review. The Program Information Form (PIF) and Appendices may be downloaded from the UCNS' Geriatric Neurology page and submitted via email to UCNS at applications@ucns.org.You are invited to consult with UCNS staff as you prepare your application. Contact Amanda Carpenter, Accreditation Administrator, at (651) 332-2681 or acarpenter@ucns.org with questions about applications or the review process.

AAN Communities

Connect with Colleagues in Your Area of Interest

The newly designed AAN.com is an indispensable part of your member benefits and connects you with colleagues, your areas of interest, and more.

AAN.com's new look and functionality now features AAN Communities, which allows members to connect with colleagues and discuss topics and subspecialty interests important to them and to access relevant Neurology® journal articles. Forums provide each community opportunities for discussion and networking.

Finding Information Is Easier Than Ever

Forget endless sifting through articles and links. A new green roll-down "preview pane" appears to give you a preview of what each area of the website provides. New "share" and "follow us" buttons allow visitors to send and stay current with topics and Academy news links. Visitors can also find their way around the site better using "bread crumb" links to track their progress.

Visit AAN Communities to get started!

Get Involved with AAN Sections

The AAN offers many opportunities for members to get involved in Academy events and initiatives, from joining sections and work groups to writing and reviewing clinical practice guidelines. Events such as the Annual Meeting, regional conferences, and advocacy participation programs give members the chance to improve their skills, advance health care issues, and network with their peers.

Throughout this website, you will find contact information for AAN staff who can answer questions about their areas and help you get involved. If you would like to become a member of an AAN section, contact AAN Member Services at memberservices@aan.com or call (800) 879-1960 to indicate which sections you would like to join.

Neurologists Asked to Monitor Patients for Post-Vaccine Related GBS

At the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Academy of Neurology is asking its member neurologists and other health care professionals to report any potential post-vaccine related cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), a rare nerve disorder that may be associated with the H1N1 vaccine currently in production.

The AAN will host a series of webinars specially designed for neurologists and other health care professionals. These multimedia presentations will feature important information on reporting GBS and related cases, general facts about the disorder, and more.

Learn more about to report to VAERS, the webinar, and other resources on H1N1 and GBS.

Back to top.

Important: Update Your Membership Contact Information Today

Update your contact information today to be sure your address and other contact information is current. Don't miss out on important news and event information about your Academy, or your host of other AAN publications included with your membership that are designed to keep you up-to-date on the latest issues affecting you and your profession, your practice, and your patients, including the journal Neurology®, AANnews®, Neurology Now®, and more.

If you are a Junior member of the AAN who graduated in June, 2009, you will need to update your contact information in order to continue receiving important AAN communications and other valuable member benefits during your transition to Active or Associate member status. If you are continuing to a fellowship, contact AAN Member Services to be sure your member status is updated and you continue to receive Junior member benefits, including discounts on the RITE exam, free subscription to Continuum: Lifelong Learning in Neurology®, and more!

If you want to update your section participation, contact AAN Member Services. View a list of AAN subspecialty or special interest sections.

Letter from the Chair

For my Fall 2009 letter, I would like to update Section members in two areas: UCNS certification and accreditation, and the committee structure of the Section.

UCNS certification and accreditation.

In the Fall 2008 Geriatric Neurology Section Newsletter, I chronicled my exploratory efforts regarding American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) subspecialty certification in Geriatric Neurology. One finding, not unexpectedly, was that Geriatric Neurology because of its small size is unable to apply for ABPN recognition without linkage to another group. I was disappointed, however, that at present neither Behavioral Neurology nor Geriatric Psychiatry appear to be viable partners, and ABPN certification is not a realistic option for us. My conclusion then was that section "members interested in subspecialty certification should remain in the UCNS fold and should consider sitting for the certifying examination late next year."

"Next year" is now upon us, and the first UCNS certifying examination is scheduled to take place December 7-11, 2009 through Pearson Vue test facilities. There will be 200 multiple choice questions, and successful applicants will be certified for 10 years. Further details are at www.ucns.org.

Recently, Todd Bulson, UCNS Certification Manager, patiently answered a number of my questions regarding processes for UCNS certification (physicians) and accreditation (programs). Several highlights are provided below:

UNCS affairs are handled by a nine-member Board of Directors. Five members come from UCNS parent organizations (AAN, American Neurological Association, Association of University Professors of Neurology, Child Neurology Society, and Professors of Child Neurology). Four others serve two year terms, selected on a rotating basis from among UCNS subspecialties. Dr. Larry Honig, who was nominated by the Geriatric Neurology Executive Committee, is a new Board member.

The Geriatric Neurology Examination Committee is responsible for examination content based on the Geriatric Neurology Core Curriculum. The Committee reports to the UCNS Certification Council, and its members are the following: Drs. Anil Nair (chair), Alexander Auchus, François Boller, Phillip Green, Katrina Gwinn, Douglas Lanska, Marwan Sabbagh, Nikolaos Scarmeas, and Julie Schneider. Committee members are nominated by the Geriatric Neurology Section Executive Committee and approved by the Certification Council. Apart from expense reimbursement, exam committee members are unpaid for the considerable work required, although the $1500 examination fee is waived.

Accreditation of fellowship programs comes under the purview of the UCNS Accreditation Council. There is no separate Geriatric Neurology accreditation committee, but two geriatric neurologists currently serve as consultants to the Council. These are Drs. James Galvin and Janice Knoefel, who were nominated by the Geriatric Neurology section and who also work on a voluntary basis. Requirements for Geriatric Neurology fellowship accreditation have yet to be finalized but are expected soon. Fellowship accreditation will require 12 months of approved training, and eventually only trainees of UCNS-approved fellowship programs will be eligible to sit for the certification examination. Approved programs will be accredited for two to five years.

The UCNS takes the position that each approved subspecialty is distinct and independent, defined by a unique body of knowledge. To that end, training in one subspecialty cannot satisfy requirements for training in another. For example, no part of a 12 month Geriatric Neurology fellowship program could be used to satisfy training requirements for Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry. It would be possible, however, for one institution to sponsor both a 12 month Geriatric Neurology program and also a 12 month Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry program, offered to fellows back-to-back during a 24 month period.

Committee Structure of the Geriatric Neurology Section

Sections activities and operations sometimes appear opaque, and for this reason I think it is worthwhile to describe the administrative structure of the Section and to mention the people involved in these activities.

Section Officers and Executive Committee. The Geriatric Neurology section, like each of the 32 academy sections, has Bylaws that adhere to a common template developed by the Academy. Geriatric Section Bylaws can be accessed online through the Section website at http://www.aan.com/go/about/sections/geriatric. Substantive changes to the Bylaws are cumbersome to enact and require approval by the Executive Committee, Section membership, the Committee on Sections, and the AAN Board of Directors.

Section officers are Chair, Chair-Elect, and immediate Past Chair. The Executive Committee consists of officers, three Councilors, and Working Group leaders. (Working Groups are described below.) Councilors can serve two consecutive terms. Terms for officers and Councilors were recently increased from two to three years. I personally voted against the increase on the grounds that the shorter term provided greater opportunity for member participation; the majority view was that longer terms offered greater experience and stability.

As most of you know, Dr. Charles DeCarli is Chair-Elect and Dr. David Bennett is the immediate Past Chair. Our three Councilors are Dr. James Galvin (second term ends 2010), Dr. Anit Nair (first term ends 2011), and Dr. Zoe Arvanitakis (second term ends 2012).

Working Groups overview. The Bylaws specify four Working Groups. These are the Nominating Working Group, Education Working Group, Science Working Group, and the Practice Working Group. With the exception of the Nominating Working Group, which is chaired by the immediate Past Chair, Working Group members are appointed by the Section Chair. Current Working Group chairs will serve through 2011. Duties of Working Groups are quoted below from the Bylaws. The mandates are somewhat vague, and I offer my own call-to-action at the end of this message.

Nominating Working Group. This Working Group, chaired by Dr. Bennett, has three other members, Dr. Germaine Odenheimer (former section chair), Dr. Jeffrey Kaye (also a former section chair), and myself. Members should feel free to forward nominations to the Working Group chair or to the Section Liaison (Lynee Koester) for positions of Chair-Elect and Councilor, when these positions open up. The Bylaws state, "Any member of a section may submit nominations." My own interpretation is that nominations can be submitted not only through the Nominating Working Group but also brought forward by any section member independently of a formal slate proposed by the Nominating Working Group.

Education Working Group. "The function of this group is to review the educational program of the Academy and make recommendations for changes and improvements to the Section's executive committee and the general membership." Dr. Alex Aachus leads the Education Working Group, and other members are Drs. Tiffany Chow and Lawrence Honig.

Science Working Group. "The function of this group is to review the scientific program of the Academy and make recommendations for changes and improvements to the Section's executive committee and the general membership." The Science Working Group leader is Dr. David Knopman, and members are Drs. Sandra Black and Joe Verghese.

Practice Working Group. "The function of this group is to review practice issues as they relate to the Section and make recommendations for changes and improvements to the Section's executive committee and the general membership." This Working Group may be the most relevant to the majority of Geriatric Neurology Section members. I have asked Dr. Ralph Richter to lead the group. Dr. Richter has long been involved with Section activities. Other members are Drs. Glen Finney, David Hart, and Janice Knoefel. Dr. Finney has worked with practice-related legislative issues, and Dr. Hart is the Section coding representative. Dr. Knoefel, in addition to being a former Section chair, brings the perspective of practice through the Veterans Affairs Health Care System. The VA, of course, is a key constituency of geriatric neurology practice.

A call to action. Working Group mandates described in the Bylaws appear fairly limited. However, I would like to suggest a more proactive approach. I encourage Working Group leaders and members to develop their own initiatives and activities within the spheres of education, science, and neurological practice—without necessarily waiting for directives from the Executive Committee or from the Academy leadership. Realistically, this may be difficult to accomplish, given competing demands that all of us face in our professional and personal lives. Indeed, it would be ideal if suggestions could also from the Section membership and be funneled to the relevant Working Group.

Any Section member should be able to contribute to a Working Group of his or her interest. If you would like to become more involved, please feel free to contact the Working Group leader directly or through Section liaison Lynee Koester (lkoester@aan.com). Specific suggestions, proposals, and ideas, and initiatives are especially welcome.

Back to top.