American Academy of Neurology

Science: Michael Aminoff Discusses Gene Therapy for Parkinson's Disease

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:10:00 GMT

Michael J. Aminoff, MD, DSc, FRCP, FAAN, talks about his recently published paper on safety and tolerability of putaminal AADC gene therapy for Parkinson's disease

Science: Raymund A.C. Roos and N. Ahmad Aziz Discuss HTT

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:13:00 GMT

Raymund A.C. Roos, MD, PhD (Leiden), and N. Ahmad Aziz, MSc, medical student, discuss their research on the Huntington Disease Gene (HTT), which was recently published in Neurology

Science: Emad Farag Discusses Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cell Implantation for Parkinson's Disease

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:26:00 GMT

Emad S. Farag, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology at UCLA, discusses his paper, "Pathologic findings in retinal pigment epithelial cell implantation for Parkinson disease"

Science: Caterina Mainero Talks About Cortical Pathology in Multiple Sclerosis

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:04:00 GMT

Caterina Mainero, MD, PhD, discusses her paper, "In vivo imaging of cortical pathology in multiple sclerosis using ultra-high field MRI"

Science: Ergun Uc on Cognitive Impairment in Early Parkinson's Disease

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:46:00 GMT

Ergun Y. Uc, MD, is the first author of a publication from the Deprenyl and Tocopherol Antioxidative Therapy of Parkinsonism (DATATOP) cohort in the November 3, 2009, issue of Neurology (2009;73:1469-1477), entitled "Incidence of and risk factors for cognitive impairment in an early Parkinson disease clinical trial cohort." Uc is Associate Professor of Neurology at the Department of Neurology of the University of Iowa and at the Neurology Service of the VA Medical Center of Iowa City.

Science: Joachim Gerber Discusses Neurogenesis in Adults

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:08:00 GMT

Joachim Gerber, MD, discusses his team's use of immunohistochemical methods to study neurogenesis in brain sections of patients who underwent autopsy subsequent to bacterial meningitis, stroke, or brain trauma.

Science: AAN.com Talks with CDC Neuroepidemiologist James J. Sejvar About Influenza Monitoring

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:02:00 GMT

Over one million people in the US have been infected with the novel influenza A (H1N1) virus. James J. Sejvar, MD, CDC neuroepidemiologist, discusses the neurologic implications

Science: AAN.com Talks with Edward Murphy and Hope Biswas About the Neurologic Features of HTLV Infection

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:24:00 GMT

Edward Murphy, MD, MPH, and Hope Biswas, ScM, discuss their recent paper, "Neurologic abnormalities in HTLV-I– and HTLV-II–infected individuals without overt myelopathy."

Science: AAN.com Speaks with Jose Luchsinger About Mild Cognitive Impairment

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:59:00 GMT

Jose A. Luchsinger, MD, MPH, discusses his paper, "Subcortical cerebrovascular disease in mild cognitive impairment" with AAN.com Science editor, Jose G. Merino, MD, MPhil.

Science: AAN.com Science Editor

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:24:00 GMT

These are exciting times to be a neurologist. Research discoveries in the past two decades have changed the way we practice neurology. Advances in molecular biology and genomics allow us to classify

Science: All Media Eyes on Seattle for 2009 Annual Meeting

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:33:00 GMT

In the first half of 2009, media coverage of the American Academy of Neurology generated over 4 billion media impressions, through more than 10,000 newspaper, magazine, television, radio, and online news clips mentioning

Science: NIH Challenge Grant Reviewers Urgently Needed

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:02:00 GMT

The NIH is in need of reviewers for Challenge Grants established as part of the 2009 economic stimulus package passed by Congress. Neurologist input is essential and the Academy is asking members to volunteer to be reviewers.

Science: 2009 Update: Science on AAN.com

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:05:00 GMT

The Science pages of AAN.com allow neurologists to follow basic, translational, and clinical scientific developments. The site includes daily breaking news stories of neurologic interest on the home page of AAN.com as well as short editorials

Science: Neurology Articles to Require Level of Evidence (LOE) Classification

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:20:00 GMT

As of January 15, all Neurology articles dealing with therapeutic intervention will include level of evidence (LOE) classification. AAN.com asked Robert A. Gross, MD, PhD, FAAN, Deputy Editor of Neurology, to comment on this new initiative.

Science: NINDS and AAN.com Launch Internet Collaboration

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:03:00 GMT

By Walter Koroshetz, MD, FAAN, and Orly Avitzur, MD, FAAN - A new dimension is emerging in the long collaboration between the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the American Academy of Neurology.

Review and Editorials: Emerging Pathogenesis of Essential Tremor

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:03:00 GMT

By Holly Shill, MD - Over the last two years investigators have begun to elucidate the neuropathological findings in the essential tremor brain.

Science: NINDS Announces Research Education Programs for Residents and Fellows

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:00:00 GMT

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is offering a new pilot program designed to enhance the training of physicians and scientists in the fields of neurology and neurosurgery. The program will provide opportunities for residents who are strongly interested in research training while they participate in clinical training. The goal of the program is to increase the number of applicants applying for and receiving mentored career development (K) awards.

Review and Editorials: FAST Enough for Intracerebral Hemorrhage?

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:55:00 GMT

The results of the FAST (Factor Seven for Acute Hemorrhagic Stroke) trial, published in the May 15, 2008, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), reaffirmed previous studies' findings that rFVIIa decreases hematoma expansion, but in this phase III study there was no effect on mortality or functional outcome. rFVIIa treatment was associated with an increase in thromboembolic events, principally subendocardial myocardial infarctions. FAST raises several important issues for future clinical trials for this devastating condition.

Review and Editorials: Update on the Consequences of Prolonged Febrile Seizures (FEBSTAT) study (NINDS NS 43209)

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 30 May 2008 21:00:00 GMT

By Shlomo Shinnar, MD, PhD, FAAN - The question of whether prolonged febrile seizures cause mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) and mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is one of the most controversial issues of epilepsy research. With the availability of better imaging, magnetic resonance studies of children with prolonged febrile seizures performed within 72 hours of the event can show increased T2 signal in the hippocampus which in some cases may be associated with subsequent MTS. This finding led to the FEBSTAT study, a prospective study focused on determining the association between prolonged febrile seizures and subsequent MTS and TLE.

Review and Editorials: Tarnished 'Gold Standard' Trials: Mycophenolate in Myasthenia

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:45:00 GMT

By Daniel B. Drachman, MD, FAAN - Two clinical trials of treatment of myasthenia gravis (MG) with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in Neurology® report lack of efficacy. Unfortunately, both trial protocols were flawed, with relatively short durations of treatment, unexpectedly good responses to concomitant steroid treatment, and problems in the efficacy measure. However, excellent results, and a favorable profile of side effects, observed in numerous myasthenic patients treated by experienced clinicians require that these published trials be considered in context. In the meantime, MMF must remain available for treatment of MG. Future trial designs should consider prolonged time course, interactions of other immunosuppressive agents, and a more appropriate outcome method.

Review and Editorials: Antiangiogenic Therapy For Glioblastomas

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 20:40:00 GMT

By Patrick Y. Wen, MD, FAAN - Glioblastomas (WHO grade IV) are the most common type of primary brain tumor in adults, with an annual incidence in the United States of approximately 12,000. Despite optimal therapy with surgery, radiotherapy, and temozolomide chemotherapy, the median survival of patients with glioblastomas is only 12–15 months. There is a desperate need for more effective therapies.

Review and Editorials: Update on the International Subarachnoid Aneurysm Trial (ISAT) and the Clip versus Coil Controversy

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:04:00 GMT

By Joey English, MD, PhD - The International Subarachnoid Aneurysm Trial (ISAT) was a multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled trial of endovascular coiling versus neurosurgical clipping in patients with ruptured cerebral aneurysms suitable for either therapy.

Review and Editorials: Perfusion imaging in acute ischemic stroke: utile or futile?

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 20:35:00 GMT

By Maarten G. Lansberg, MD, PhD - The premise is simple: tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and other therapies aimed at restoring blood flow only benefit patients who have hypoperfused yet salvageable brain tissue called an ischemic penumbra.

Science: From the Science Editor - February 2008

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:20:00 GMT

The Science pages of AAN.com allow neurologists to follow scientific developments in neurology, whether basic, translational, or clinical. The site contains daily breaking news stories of neurological interest and short editorials on the latest neurological research, as well information regarding AAN scientific awards and training grants, news and resources related to NINDS. It also provides information related to the AAN Science Committee and its role in planning the scientific aspects of the AAN Annual Meeting. This is accomplished by a team consisting of editorial board members and staff.

Review and Editorials: Emerging Concepts: Treatment-Responsive Autoimmune Limbic Encephalitis

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:17:00 GMT

By Josep Dalmau, MD, PhD - Limbic encephalitis was initially reported as a paraneoplastic manifestation of cancer. For many years it was thought that the disorder was extremely rare, invariably associated with cancer, and unresponsive to treatment.

Review and Editorials: Shooting the Messenger (RNA) in the Neurology Clinic: The Promise of Therapeutic RNA Interference

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:39:00 GMT

Science Editorials and Reviews – Edited by David Riley, MD

The discovery of RNA interference (RNAi) is one of the more important scientific breakthroughs in the last ten years. RNAi is currently being evaluated in the laboratory and in human therapeutic trials for its ability to silence the expression of disease-related genes. There are several questions about therapeutic RNAi that are of interest to the practicing neurologist.

Review and Editorials: Urgency for TIA: Push Turns to Shove

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 16:00:00 GMT

By S. Claiborne Johnston, MD, PhD - Several large-scale studies have shown that the risk of stroke is very high in the days to weeks following a transient ischemic attack (TIA). Two groups recently established urgent TIA clinics to evaluate and treat patients with TIA as soon as possible after presenting with symptoms. Both found that the risk of stroke was lower in those patients seen in these clinics, and suggest that the immediate initiation of aggressive therapies after TIA could substantially reduce the stroke risk in this population.

Review and Editorials: Urgency for TIA: Push Turns to Shove

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 16:00:00 GMT

Review and Editorials: A New Choice on the Menu: Five Years of the Modified Atkins Diet for Epilepsy

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:00:00 GMT

By Eric H. Kossoff, M.D. - The modified Atkins diet is a less restrictive, higher protein and carbohydrate, outpatient-initiated dietary therapy for epilepsy in both children and adults who would otherwise use the ketogenic diet. It has been used and researched for the past five years with outcomes similar to the ketogenic diet thus far. Recent data has also suggested this is a valuable new therapy for adults with intractable epilepsy, and although difficult to maintain, leads to a rapid seizure improvement when effective.

Science: Submit a Late-Breaking Science Abstract for 2008 Annual Meeting

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 16:13:00 GMT

Submit a Late Breaking Science abstract now for the AAN 60^th Annual Meeting in Chicago. The deadline for submitting abstracts for this program is February 15, 2008.

Science: 100 Scientific Highlights Now Available Online

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Wed, 09 May 2007 13:00:00 GMT

The 100 Scientific Highlights, highlighted by Dr. Stefan Pulst, AAN Science Committee Chair, during the 2007 Scientific Program Highlights Plenary Session, are now available online for free.

Science: Available Now: 2007 Abstracts Online

webmaster@aan.com (Webmaster) — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:34:00 GMT

The new 2007 Abstracts Online Program is available now for members to search and download. The abstract database contains the complete scientific program scheduled for presentation at the 59th Annual Meeting in Boston.