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      EAN News

      Plans in progress for 30th Anniversary of the European Journal of Neurology (1994-2024)

      December 6, 2023

      Advocacy

      Executive Page: European neurology united as ever heading into milestone year

      December 6, 2023

      Paper of the Month

      Research Paper of the Month: Apixaban for Stroke Prevention in Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation

      December 4, 2023

      Research Highlights One glowing light bulb that stands out from unlit or dim lamps on a blue background

      Research Highlights of the Month – December 2023

      December 1, 2023

      Executive Page

      Executive Page: European neurology united as ever heading into milestone year

      December 6, 2023

      Executive Page

      Executive Page: Join or renew your membership now and celebrate 10 years of the EAN

      November 6, 2023

      Executive Page

      Executive Page: Advocacy for brain health gaining momentum across the neurological landscape

      October 1, 2023

      Executive Page Dear EAN members, dear friends, It is my pleasure to give you an update on behalf of the EAN Scientific Committee following a busy year since my appointment as chair. It has been a privilege to be so deeply involved in the scientific activities of the EAN and to work closely with an amazing community of people who are so dedicated to the advancement of neurology. One of the strongest threads within that community is the EAN’s group of Scientific Panels, which are often referred to as the organisation’s ‘scientific backbone’. The panels have a hand in everything the EAN does from a scientific point of view, including coordinating clinical research, disseminating good practice, assisting in planning the EAN annual congress, supporting the EAN’s educational efforts, and producing guidelines that assist neurologists in daily practice. All of this work requires a considerable amount of oversight, and this is why each panel is run by its own Management Group, elected by the panel members. Being a part of one of these Management Groups (PDF) is an opportunity to play a direct part in determining the direction of scientific progress within Europe, and I am excited to say that the call for applications to stand for election will be announced in September. All panel members and EAN individual members are eligible to apply to be candidates, with the vote being held among the existing panel members in autumn. I would like to urge every neurologist with a passion for the scientific future of their special area of interest to consider standing for election to the relevant Management Group and to look out for the call for applications later this month. I can tell you from personal experience that fulfilling a role such as this within the structure of the EAN is a fascinating and extremely rewarding experience. The chance to take on such a unique leadership position should not be missed! The most satisfying aspect of being involved in the EAN’s organisational structure is surely seeing all the hard work and planning come to fruition when a small idea evolves into a newly launched project. One such example is the 1st EAN Science School, taking place in Salzburg next March. The idea of the Science School is to offer early career neurologists with an interest in translational research a new avenue for learning about basic pathomechanisms of neurological disorders. Application for this very first edition, on ‘Pathophysiology of disorders of the nervous system’, closed last week and we have been delighted with the level of interest. It was a pleasure to be part of the task force in charge of planning this new project and I look forward to seeing it officially transferred to the hands of the Scientific Committee after a successful event and evaluation in spring. Of our ongoing activities, one of the most significant is the EAN Neuro-covid Registry, which aims to collate epidemiological data on neurological manifestations in patients with COVID-19 infection reported by neurologists in outpatient services, emergency rooms, and hospital departments. We currently have 1,542 patients entered in the database, from 35 centres across 23 countries. So far, 29 patients have been followed for 12 months and 387 have completed the 6-months follow up. This is a decent start, but I would like to strongly encourage EAN members and their institutions to get involved and contribute cases to what will become an invaluable resource for neurologists and clinicians to improve care for Covid-19 patients. Finally, I would like share a word on a forthcoming collaboration between EAN and the Human Brain Project in December, that I think will interest a lot of EAN members. The EAN-EBRAINS joint workshop on ‘The future of medical data sharing in clinical neurosciences’ will be a three-day virtual event that aims to discuss issues and challenges associated with data sharing in Europe, from ethics to data safety and privacy, including those specific to data federation, such as the development and validation of federated algorithms. The whole workshop is completely free of charge and registration is open until 25 November, so please check out the details and sign up! I wish you all a healthy and pleasant autumn and I look forward to updating you again. Best wishes Thomas Berger Chair of the EAN Scientific Committee

      Executive Page: Management Group elections are coming – run for office and help shape our future!

      September 1, 2023

      EAN News

      Plans in progress for 30th Anniversary of the European Journal of Neurology (1994-2024)

      December 6, 2023

      EAN News

      Executive Page: European neurology united as ever heading into milestone year

      December 6, 2023

      EAN News

      Research Paper of the Month: Apixaban for Stroke Prevention in Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation

      December 4, 2023

      EAN News One glowing light bulb that stands out from unlit or dim lamps on a blue background

      Research Highlights of the Month – December 2023

      December 1, 2023

      EAN Congress news

      EAN 2024 – Abstract submission and registration OPEN!

      November 22, 2023

      EAN Congress news

      Burden of Sleep/Wake Disorders Project at EAN Congress 2023

      October 19, 2023

      EAN Congress news

      African Academy of Neurology features in Special Studio Session at EAN 2023

      July 25, 2023

      EAN Congress news

      Find photos, facts, figures and reports in our EAN Congress Review

      July 24, 2023

      Interviews

      Video Interview: Prof. Mary Reilly, Moritz Romberg lecturer at EAN 2023

      July 4, 2023

      Interviews

      Video Interview: Mark Hallett, C. Brown-Séquard lecturer at EAN 2023

      July 3, 2023

      Interviews

      Video Interview: Josep Dalmau, Camillo Golgi Lecturer at EAN 2023

      July 2, 2023

      Interviews

      Video Interview: Dementia & Cognitive Disorders Panel Co-Chairs

      September 8, 2022

  • Research
    • All Paper of the Month Research Highlights
      Paper of the Month

      Research Paper of the Month: Apixaban for Stroke Prevention in Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation

      December 4, 2023

      Research Highlights One glowing light bulb that stands out from unlit or dim lamps on a blue background

      Research Highlights of the Month – December 2023

      December 1, 2023

      Paper of the Month

      Research Paper of the Month: Effects of oral anticoagulation in people with atrial fibrillation after spontaneous intracranial haemorrhage (COCROACH)

      November 6, 2023

      Research Highlights One glowing light bulb that stands out from unlit or dim lamps on a blue background

      Research Highlights of the Month – November 2023

      November 6, 2023

      Paper of the Month

      Research Paper of the Month: Apixaban for Stroke Prevention in Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation

      December 4, 2023

      Paper of the Month

      Research Paper of the Month: Effects of oral anticoagulation in people with atrial fibrillation after spontaneous intracranial haemorrhage (COCROACH)

      November 6, 2023

      Paper of the Month

      Research Paper of the Month: Transdermal Nicotine Treatment and Progression of Early Parkinson’s Disease

      October 1, 2023

      Paper of the Month

      Research Paper of the Month: Soluble Nogo-Receptor-Fc decoy (AXER-204) in patients with chronic cervical spinal cord injury in the USA

      September 1, 2023

      Research Highlights One glowing light bulb that stands out from unlit or dim lamps on a blue background

      Research Highlights of the Month – December 2023

      December 1, 2023

      Research Highlights One glowing light bulb that stands out from unlit or dim lamps on a blue background

      Research Highlights of the Month – November 2023

      November 6, 2023

      Research Highlights One glowing light bulb that stands out from unlit or dim lamps on a blue background

      Research Highlights of the Month – October 2023

      October 1, 2023

      Research Highlights One glowing light bulb that stands out from unlit or dim lamps on a blue background

      Research Highlights of the Month – September 2023

      September 1, 2023

  • Education
    • All eLearning Student Corner Resident and Research Fellows Fellowship reports
      eLearning

      End 2023 with highlighted content on the eanCampus!

      December 2, 2023

      Resident and Research Fellows

      EAN Spring School 2024 – Apply NOW until 31 January 2024

      December 1, 2023

      Resident and Research Fellows

      EAN Autumn School 2023: Report

      November 30, 2023

      eLearning

      Call for Applications: e-Learning Platform Associate Editors

      November 7, 2023

      eLearning

      End 2023 with highlighted content on the eanCampus!

      December 2, 2023

      eLearning

      Call for Applications: e-Learning Platform Associate Editors

      November 7, 2023

      eLearning

      Kick off the new season with highlights on the eanCampus

      October 13, 2023

      eLearning

      World Brain Day with the European Academy of Neurology

      July 21, 2023

      Student Corner

      Student Teaser Fellowship reports 2022 – Pisa, London, & Lausanne

      September 13, 2023

      Student Corner Illustration of a vertical pencil point on a blue background, with a yellow light bulb above it

      Student Corner: My EAN Congress experience

      September 5, 2023

      Student Corner

      Student Teaser Fellowship reports 2022 – Rotterdam, London, & Paris

      August 22, 2023

      Student Corner

      Student Teaser Fellowship winners 2023

      June 28, 2023

      Resident and Research Fellows

      EAN Spring School 2024 – Apply NOW until 31 January 2024

      December 1, 2023

      Resident and Research Fellows

      EAN Autumn School 2023: Report

      November 30, 2023

      Resident and Research Fellows

      Research Fellowship Report 2022 – Oxford Autoimmune Neurology Group

      September 16, 2023

      Resident and Research Fellows

      Research Fellowship Report 2022 – Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne

      September 15, 2023

      Fellowship reports

      Research Fellowship Report 2022 – Oxford Autoimmune Neurology Group

      September 16, 2023

      Fellowship reports

      Research Fellowship Report 2022 – Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne

      September 15, 2023

      Fellowship reports

      Research Fellowship Report 2022 – Department of Neuromuscular Diseases Institute, University College London

      September 14, 2023

      Fellowship reports

      Student Teaser Fellowship reports 2022 – Pisa, London, & Lausanne

      September 13, 2023

  • Other News
    • All EAN Staff EBC News in general Surveys
      EAN Staff

      EAN Head Office Profiles: Ulla & Piyapat

      December 1, 2023

      EAN Staff

      EAN Head Office Profiles: Maria & Immanuel

      November 7, 2023

      Advocacy

      Brain community launches Call to Action during Brain Health & Research Day at UNGA78

      October 19, 2023

      EAN News

      Brain Innovation Days 2023: Meet the speakers!

      October 2, 2023

      EAN Staff

      EAN Head Office Profiles: Ulla & Piyapat

      December 1, 2023

      EAN Staff

      EAN Head Office Profiles: Maria & Immanuel

      November 7, 2023

      EAN Staff

      EAN Head Office Profiles: Kathrin & Sasha

      August 28, 2023

      EAN Staff Anja Sander receiving flowers at the end of EAN Congress 2023

      Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence: Anja Sander, EAN’s Executive Director!

      August 3, 2023

      EBC

      Brain community launches Call to Action during Brain Health & Research Day at UNGA78

      October 19, 2023

      EBC

      Brain Innovation Days 2023: Meet the speakers!

      October 2, 2023

      EBC

      Brain Innovation Days: Discover the early programme and register today!

      July 21, 2023

      EBC

      Join the community’s calls for a European Brain Research and Innovation Plan

      July 21, 2023

      News in general

      WHO’s Intersectoral Global Action Plan on epilepsy and other neurological disorders (IGAP) published in all six UN languages

      August 3, 2023

      News in general

      WHO recognises the public health need for effective and affordable treatments for multiple sclerosis

      August 3, 2023

      News in general

      Brain Innovation Days: Discover the early programme and register today!

      July 21, 2023

      News in general

      Join the community’s calls for a European Brain Research and Innovation Plan

      July 21, 2023

      Surveys

      Neurorehabilitation Across Europe after Ischemic and Traumatic Brain Injuries: a survey to increase knowledge on brain-injury-specific neurorehabilitation

      July 14, 2023

      Surveys

      ILAE survey on genetic testing in the epilepsies

      July 14, 2023

      Surveys

      COVID-19 and neurology: a survey of previous and continued restrictions on clinical practice, professional education and neuroeconomics

      March 3, 2023

      Surveys

      Help EAN contribute towards the development of a European Pain Research strategy

      December 5, 2022

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eanpages

  • EAN News
    • All Executive Page EAN News EAN Congress news Interviews
      EAN News

      Plans in progress for 30th Anniversary of the European Journal of Neurology (1994-2024)

      December 6, 2023

      Advocacy

      Executive Page: European neurology united as ever heading into milestone year

      December 6, 2023

      Paper of the Month

      Research Paper of the Month: Apixaban for Stroke Prevention in Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation

      December 4, 2023

      Research Highlights One glowing light bulb that stands out from unlit or dim lamps on a blue background

      Research Highlights of the Month – December 2023

      December 1, 2023

      Executive Page

      Executive Page: European neurology united as ever heading into milestone year

      December 6, 2023

      Executive Page

      Executive Page: Join or renew your membership now and celebrate 10 years of the EAN

      November 6, 2023

      Executive Page

      Executive Page: Advocacy for brain health gaining momentum across the neurological landscape

      October 1, 2023

      Executive Page Dear EAN members, dear friends, It is my pleasure to give you an update on behalf of the EAN Scientific Committee following a busy year since my appointment as chair. It has been a privilege to be so deeply involved in the scientific activities of the EAN and to work closely with an amazing community of people who are so dedicated to the advancement of neurology. One of the strongest threads within that community is the EAN’s group of Scientific Panels, which are often referred to as the organisation’s ‘scientific backbone’. The panels have a hand in everything the EAN does from a scientific point of view, including coordinating clinical research, disseminating good practice, assisting in planning the EAN annual congress, supporting the EAN’s educational efforts, and producing guidelines that assist neurologists in daily practice. All of this work requires a considerable amount of oversight, and this is why each panel is run by its own Management Group, elected by the panel members. Being a part of one of these Management Groups (PDF) is an opportunity to play a direct part in determining the direction of scientific progress within Europe, and I am excited to say that the call for applications to stand for election will be announced in September. All panel members and EAN individual members are eligible to apply to be candidates, with the vote being held among the existing panel members in autumn. I would like to urge every neurologist with a passion for the scientific future of their special area of interest to consider standing for election to the relevant Management Group and to look out for the call for applications later this month. I can tell you from personal experience that fulfilling a role such as this within the structure of the EAN is a fascinating and extremely rewarding experience. The chance to take on such a unique leadership position should not be missed! The most satisfying aspect of being involved in the EAN’s organisational structure is surely seeing all the hard work and planning come to fruition when a small idea evolves into a newly launched project. One such example is the 1st EAN Science School, taking place in Salzburg next March. The idea of the Science School is to offer early career neurologists with an interest in translational research a new avenue for learning about basic pathomechanisms of neurological disorders. Application for this very first edition, on ‘Pathophysiology of disorders of the nervous system’, closed last week and we have been delighted with the level of interest. It was a pleasure to be part of the task force in charge of planning this new project and I look forward to seeing it officially transferred to the hands of the Scientific Committee after a successful event and evaluation in spring. Of our ongoing activities, one of the most significant is the EAN Neuro-covid Registry, which aims to collate epidemiological data on neurological manifestations in patients with COVID-19 infection reported by neurologists in outpatient services, emergency rooms, and hospital departments. We currently have 1,542 patients entered in the database, from 35 centres across 23 countries. So far, 29 patients have been followed for 12 months and 387 have completed the 6-months follow up. This is a decent start, but I would like to strongly encourage EAN members and their institutions to get involved and contribute cases to what will become an invaluable resource for neurologists and clinicians to improve care for Covid-19 patients. Finally, I would like share a word on a forthcoming collaboration between EAN and the Human Brain Project in December, that I think will interest a lot of EAN members. The EAN-EBRAINS joint workshop on ‘The future of medical data sharing in clinical neurosciences’ will be a three-day virtual event that aims to discuss issues and challenges associated with data sharing in Europe, from ethics to data safety and privacy, including those specific to data federation, such as the development and validation of federated algorithms. The whole workshop is completely free of charge and registration is open until 25 November, so please check out the details and sign up! I wish you all a healthy and pleasant autumn and I look forward to updating you again. Best wishes Thomas Berger Chair of the EAN Scientific Committee

      Executive Page: Management Group elections are coming – run for office and help shape our future!

      September 1, 2023

      EAN News

      Plans in progress for 30th Anniversary of the European Journal of Neurology (1994-2024)

      December 6, 2023

      EAN News

      Executive Page: European neurology united as ever heading into milestone year

      December 6, 2023

      EAN News

      Research Paper of the Month: Apixaban for Stroke Prevention in Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation

      December 4, 2023

      EAN News One glowing light bulb that stands out from unlit or dim lamps on a blue background

      Research Highlights of the Month – December 2023

      December 1, 2023

      EAN Congress news

      EAN 2024 – Abstract submission and registration OPEN!

      November 22, 2023

      EAN Congress news

      Burden of Sleep/Wake Disorders Project at EAN Congress 2023

      October 19, 2023

      EAN Congress news

      African Academy of Neurology features in Special Studio Session at EAN 2023

      July 25, 2023

      EAN Congress news

      Find photos, facts, figures and reports in our EAN Congress Review

      July 24, 2023

      Interviews

      Video Interview: Prof. Mary Reilly, Moritz Romberg lecturer at EAN 2023

      July 4, 2023

      Interviews

      Video Interview: Mark Hallett, C. Brown-Séquard lecturer at EAN 2023

      July 3, 2023

      Interviews

      Video Interview: Josep Dalmau, Camillo Golgi Lecturer at EAN 2023

      July 2, 2023

      Interviews

      Video Interview: Dementia & Cognitive Disorders Panel Co-Chairs

      September 8, 2022

  • Research
    • All Paper of the Month Research Highlights
      Paper of the Month

      Research Paper of the Month: Apixaban for Stroke Prevention in Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation

      December 4, 2023

      Research Highlights One glowing light bulb that stands out from unlit or dim lamps on a blue background

      Research Highlights of the Month – December 2023

      December 1, 2023

      Paper of the Month

      Research Paper of the Month: Effects of oral anticoagulation in people with atrial fibrillation after spontaneous intracranial haemorrhage (COCROACH)

      November 6, 2023

      Research Highlights One glowing light bulb that stands out from unlit or dim lamps on a blue background

      Research Highlights of the Month – November 2023

      November 6, 2023

      Paper of the Month

      Research Paper of the Month: Apixaban for Stroke Prevention in Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation

      December 4, 2023

      Paper of the Month

      Research Paper of the Month: Effects of oral anticoagulation in people with atrial fibrillation after spontaneous intracranial haemorrhage (COCROACH)

      November 6, 2023

      Paper of the Month

      Research Paper of the Month: Transdermal Nicotine Treatment and Progression of Early Parkinson’s Disease

      October 1, 2023

      Paper of the Month

      Research Paper of the Month: Soluble Nogo-Receptor-Fc decoy (AXER-204) in patients with chronic cervical spinal cord injury in the USA

      September 1, 2023

      Research Highlights One glowing light bulb that stands out from unlit or dim lamps on a blue background

      Research Highlights of the Month – December 2023

      December 1, 2023

      Research Highlights One glowing light bulb that stands out from unlit or dim lamps on a blue background

      Research Highlights of the Month – November 2023

      November 6, 2023

      Research Highlights One glowing light bulb that stands out from unlit or dim lamps on a blue background

      Research Highlights of the Month – October 2023

      October 1, 2023

      Research Highlights One glowing light bulb that stands out from unlit or dim lamps on a blue background

      Research Highlights of the Month – September 2023

      September 1, 2023

  • Education
    • All eLearning Student Corner Resident and Research Fellows Fellowship reports
      eLearning

      End 2023 with highlighted content on the eanCampus!

      December 2, 2023

      Resident and Research Fellows

      EAN Spring School 2024 – Apply NOW until 31 January 2024

      December 1, 2023

      Resident and Research Fellows

      EAN Autumn School 2023: Report

      November 30, 2023

      eLearning

      Call for Applications: e-Learning Platform Associate Editors

      November 7, 2023

      eLearning

      End 2023 with highlighted content on the eanCampus!

      December 2, 2023

      eLearning

      Call for Applications: e-Learning Platform Associate Editors

      November 7, 2023

      eLearning

      Kick off the new season with highlights on the eanCampus

      October 13, 2023

      eLearning

      World Brain Day with the European Academy of Neurology

      July 21, 2023

      Student Corner

      Student Teaser Fellowship reports 2022 – Pisa, London, & Lausanne

      September 13, 2023

      Student Corner Illustration of a vertical pencil point on a blue background, with a yellow light bulb above it

      Student Corner: My EAN Congress experience

      September 5, 2023

      Student Corner

      Student Teaser Fellowship reports 2022 – Rotterdam, London, & Paris

      August 22, 2023

      Student Corner

      Student Teaser Fellowship winners 2023

      June 28, 2023

      Resident and Research Fellows

      EAN Spring School 2024 – Apply NOW until 31 January 2024

      December 1, 2023

      Resident and Research Fellows

      EAN Autumn School 2023: Report

      November 30, 2023

      Resident and Research Fellows

      Research Fellowship Report 2022 – Oxford Autoimmune Neurology Group

      September 16, 2023

      Resident and Research Fellows

      Research Fellowship Report 2022 – Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne

      September 15, 2023

      Fellowship reports

      Research Fellowship Report 2022 – Oxford Autoimmune Neurology Group

      September 16, 2023

      Fellowship reports

      Research Fellowship Report 2022 – Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne

      September 15, 2023

      Fellowship reports

      Research Fellowship Report 2022 – Department of Neuromuscular Diseases Institute, University College London

      September 14, 2023

      Fellowship reports

      Student Teaser Fellowship reports 2022 – Pisa, London, & Lausanne

      September 13, 2023

  • Other News
    • All EAN Staff EBC News in general Surveys
      EAN Staff

      EAN Head Office Profiles: Ulla & Piyapat

      December 1, 2023

      EAN Staff

      EAN Head Office Profiles: Maria & Immanuel

      November 7, 2023

      Advocacy

      Brain community launches Call to Action during Brain Health & Research Day at UNGA78

      October 19, 2023

      EAN News

      Brain Innovation Days 2023: Meet the speakers!

      October 2, 2023

      EAN Staff

      EAN Head Office Profiles: Ulla & Piyapat

      December 1, 2023

      EAN Staff

      EAN Head Office Profiles: Maria & Immanuel

      November 7, 2023

      EAN Staff

      EAN Head Office Profiles: Kathrin & Sasha

      August 28, 2023

      EAN Staff Anja Sander receiving flowers at the end of EAN Congress 2023

      Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence: Anja Sander, EAN’s Executive Director!

      August 3, 2023

      EBC

      Brain community launches Call to Action during Brain Health & Research Day at UNGA78

      October 19, 2023

      EBC

      Brain Innovation Days 2023: Meet the speakers!

      October 2, 2023

      EBC

      Brain Innovation Days: Discover the early programme and register today!

      July 21, 2023

      EBC

      Join the community’s calls for a European Brain Research and Innovation Plan

      July 21, 2023

      News in general

      WHO’s Intersectoral Global Action Plan on epilepsy and other neurological disorders (IGAP) published in all six UN languages

      August 3, 2023

      News in general

      WHO recognises the public health need for effective and affordable treatments for multiple sclerosis

      August 3, 2023

      News in general

      Brain Innovation Days: Discover the early programme and register today!

      July 21, 2023

      News in general

      Join the community’s calls for a European Brain Research and Innovation Plan

      July 21, 2023

      Surveys

      Neurorehabilitation Across Europe after Ischemic and Traumatic Brain Injuries: a survey to increase knowledge on brain-injury-specific neurorehabilitation

      July 14, 2023

      Surveys

      ILAE survey on genetic testing in the epilepsies

      July 14, 2023

      Surveys

      COVID-19 and neurology: a survey of previous and continued restrictions on clinical practice, professional education and neuroeconomics

      March 3, 2023

      Surveys

      Help EAN contribute towards the development of a European Pain Research strategy

      December 5, 2022

EAN NewsOther NewsTop Articles

Announcement of the winners of the Brain Prize 2018

March 6, 2018

You can follow the announcement at: www.thebrainprize.org

Four neuroscientists working in the UK, Belgium and Germany have today (6 March) won the world’s most valuable prize for brain research.   The 2018 Brain Prize is awarded to Bart De Strooper (London and Leuven), Michel Goedert (Cambridge), Christian Haass (Munich) and John Hardy (London) for their groundbreaking research on the genetic and molecular basis of Alzheimer’s disease.

The Brain Prize, awarded by the Lundbeck Foundation in Denmark, is worth one million Euros.  Awarded annually, it recognises one or more international scientists who have distinguished themselves by an outstanding contribution to neuroscience.

The research pioneered by these four European scientists has revolutionised our understanding of the changes in the brain that lead to Alzheimer´s disease and related types of dementias. Around 10 million people in Europe have Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases of the ageing brain cause a great deal of suffering for patients and their families and are a huge challenge for society. It is among the hardest diseases to get a grip on despite dramatic progress over the last decades. This year’s Brain Prize winners have individually and together, made essential contributions to the genetic and molecular knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease which are the foundations for finding new ways to diagnose, treat and possibly even prevent it and other devastating diseases of the ageing brain.

Professor Bart De Strooper is the new Director of the UK Dementia Research Institute, at University College London, and Professor of Molecular Medicine at KU Leuven and VIB, Belgium where he carried out the research that earned him his share of the Brain Prize.

Professor De Strooper discovered that presenilin is a protein that ‘cuts’ other proteins into smaller pieces which is an important and complex process in normal cell signalling (the communication between cells). Mutations in the presenilin genes cause Alzheimer’s disease. He found that these mutations lead to the production of abnormal amyloid which is the main constituent of the plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. He has deciphered in great detail what the mutations are doing and how they drive the disease process. Working with transgenic animals, zebra fish and human brain tissue donated by patients, Professor De Strooper applies information from genetic studies of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease for theories of the cellular basis of dementia to identify new drugs in collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry.

“Treating amyloid very early on could provide protection against the symptoms of Alzheimer’s in later life.  But we have a ‘catch 22 situation’ in that we cannot do experiments in healthy people,” said Professor De Strooper.

Professor Michel Goedert is a Programme Leader at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology of the Medical Research Council in Cambridge and an Honorary Professor at Cambridge University. His work using human brain tissues, transgenic mice, cultured cells and purified proteins was instrumental in the discovery – despite considerable initial scepticism – of the importance of Tau protein for Alzheimer’s disease. When Tau acts abnormally, it assembles into clusters of filaments and becomes insoluble. A pathological pathway leading from soluble to insoluble filamentous Tau is believed to cause neurodegeneration. Different Tau filaments are associated with distinct neurodegenerative diseases, including Pick’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy, where Tau filaments form in the absence of beta-amyloid deposits outside brain cells.

In his more recent studies, he showed that filamentous Tau clusters can propagate along nerve cell pathways through self-seeding. “Eventually – perhaps decades after seed formation – the first disease symptoms appear”, said Professor Goedert. “Therefore, if you can halt propagation, that could lead to ways to prevent and treat disease.”

Professor Christian Haass is at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich and at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Disorders. “My research into Alzheimer’s has focused on the cascade of events starting with amyloid and progressing through the development of plaques and tangles that eventually kill brain cells and destroy memory,” he said.

When he started to work on Alzheimer’s disease in 1990, very little was known about the cellular mechanisms involved in this disease. He focused on the generation and metabolism of amyloid, the major component of the disease that signifies plaques. Professor Haass hypothesised that amyloid production may be normal and not necessarily part of a pathological process, which at the time was the widely accepted general opinion in the field. This pivotal finding was highly significant and has since led to the development of therapies to lower amyloid production in patients. Working with John Hardy, Professor Haass has demonstrated how amyloid is generated and how genetic mutations seen in families with very aggressive and rare forms of Alzheimer’s affect its production.

Most recently, Professor Haass generated mouse models to investigate inflammation in neurodegenerative disorders, which according to his findings may at least initially play a protective role. He found that genetic mutations alter the function of special immune cells called microglia in the brain that can lead to Alzheimer’s disease.  This has stimulated a completely new approach to designing possible new therapies by modulating the activity of microglia.

Geneticist Professor John Hardy is Chair of Molecular Biology of Neurological Disease at the Institute of Neurology, University College London.  After finding mutations in the gene for the protein, amyloid, in a family with early onset disease he proposed a ground-breaking ‘amyloid hypothesis’ for Alzheimer’s disease suggesting that disease was initiated by the build-up of this protein in the brain. The disease progresses when there is an imbalance in the production and the clearance of amyloid. His discoveries of genetic mutations have had a dramatic impact on understanding not only Alzheimer’s disease but more recently in other neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s disease, progressive supranuclear palsy and motor neuron disease. With his collaborators, their development of transgenic mice that mimic these diseases process has provided the foundation of clinical trials for drugs to treat these complex diseases.

“Collaborating with clinicians, geneticists and cell biologists is work in progress. Although we have not found a successful treatment yet, I believe we are on the way towards rational, mechanism-based treatments,” said Professor Hardy.

His work on Alzheimer’s disease, other dementias and Parkinson’s disease is amongst the most highly cited in neuroscience.

This year’s award represents an array of European countries: UK, Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg.  All four neuroscientists were honoured – and surprised – to receive the 2018 Brain Prize and said how important Alzheimer’s research is in the vastly diverse field of neuroscience.

“The Brain Prize recognises that basic science makes a real contribution, even though much of it cannot be directly applied to clinical care,” said Professor De Strooper.  “The Prize is an important sign for young scientists to know that they can still make big discoveries, and that we urgently need them to pursue research into diseases of the ageing brain.”

“At a time when there is disappointment about the lack of an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, it seems clear that we need to have a more detailed understanding of the mechanisms of disease,” said Professor Goedert.

Professor Haass said, “We are facing a time when more and more people don’t believe in science anymore.  Science is not always right, but it is the only way to go to find the truth and for humans to progress.  The Brain Prize is an ambassador for science and puts a spotlight on great discoveries.”

Professor Hardy said, “In the early 1980s, research into Alzheimer’s disease was a real backwater.  The first conference only attracted 40 people, but now thousands attend.  The pace of knowledge is very fast and the quality of science is excellent.  Finding out about the interactions of the different types of cells in the brain is fundamental to our understanding of how the brain works.”

The chairman of the Lundbeck Foundation Brain Prize selection committee, Professor Anders Bjorklund, said, “Alzheimer´s disease is one of the most devastating diseases of our time and the remarkable progress that has been made during the last decades. These four outstanding European scientists have been rewarded for their fundamental discoveries unravelling molecular and genetic causes of the disease that have provided a basis for the current attempts to diagnose, treat and possibly even prevent neurodegenerative brain diseases. The award recognises that there is more to Alzheimer´s disease than amyloid, and that the field of dementia research is more than Alzheimer´s disease alone.”

 

 

Announcement of the winners of the Brain Prize 2018 was last modified: March 19th, 2018 by Editor
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