by Zuzana Gdovinová, CSc.,FESO, FEAN, President of the Slovak Neurological Society
On 26–28 November 2025, the Slovak Neurological Society and the Czech Neurological Society jointly organised the 38th Slovak and Czech Neurological Congress in Košice, Slovakia.
At the opening ceremony of the congress, EAN Programme Committee Chair Prof. Irena Rektorová presented the EAN’s strategy, goals and mission.
A major highlight of the congress was the inclusion of a Regional Teaching Session (RTS), co-organised with the European Academy of Neurology (EAN). This marked the first EAN-affiliated educational event ever held in Slovakia and was met with excellent feedback and a high level of audience engagement.
The RTS focused on autoimmune encephalitis and featured three state-of-the-art lectures delivered by internationally recognised experts:Basic concepts and diagnostic approach to autoimmune encephalitis for general neurologists, presented by Prof. Romana Höftberger (Austria); Autoimmune movement disorders, presented by Prof. Betina Balint (Switzerland); and Autoimmune aetiology of seizures and epilepsy presented by Assoc. Prof. David Krysl (Czech Republic).
The session provided a comprehensive overview of autoimmune encephalitis, addressing pathophysiological mechanisms as well as diagnostic and therapeutic strategies relevant to clinical practice. These general principles were subsequently expanded to cover autoimmune causes within two major neurological domains—movement disorders and epilepsy. The lectures highlighted characteristic clinical phenomenology, diagnostic challenges, differential diagnoses, investigative approaches, and management strategies. The RTS was among the best-attended sessions of the congress and stimulated a lively and highly interactive discussion.
Running in parallel with the RTS, the main congress offered a broad and diverse scientific and educational programme encompassing the full spectrum of neurological disorders. In addition to the core themes, several keynote lectures were delivered by speakers with strong involvement in the EAN, including: Prof. Valeria Caso on Stroke Leadership: Past Lessons and Future Directions for Global Progress; Dr Michael Zech on Genetics of Dystonia: Results of a Decade-Long Effort; and former EAN President Prof. Claudio Bassetti on Brain Health Strategy.
Overall, the 38th Slovak and Czech Neurological Congress was a considerable success, underscoring the strength of cross-border collaboration between the Slovak and Czech Neurological Societies and further enriched by the participation of leading figures from the European neurological community.
Building on the highly positive experience of collaboration between the national societies and the EAN, there is strong anticipation that the RTS programme will continue to expand in the future, fostering deeper international cooperation and strengthening engagement with the EAN as Europe’s leading provider of neurological education.
