The EAN is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Regina Katzenschlager, President of the Austrian Parkinson’s Society, following a tragic car accident.
Her loss deprives the field of an outstanding neurologist and internationally recognised expert in movement disorders, leaving a deep sense of grief and an irreplaceable void within her professional community. She played a decisive role in shaping Parkinson’s care in Austria and was deeply committed to advancing research to improve patients’ quality of life.
She held leading roles within the Austrian Parkinson’s Society for decades, shaping its development, and served in several key positions before being elected president in September 2023. Katzenschlager was also a leading figure in the Austrian Society of Neurology, of which she had been a board member since 2005 and was elected president in 2012, becoming the first woman to hold the post.
From 2017 to 2021, she chaired the Evidence-Based Medicine Committee of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society and, from 2021, served on its International Executive Committee. She was also a member of the European Section’s Executive Committee (2021–2025) and of the Movement Disorders editorial board since 2022.
Her scientific output comprises well over 100 publications in renowned international specialist journals and is characterised by a remarkable breadth of content and continuity – ranging from early diagnostic issues to seminal therapeutic and evidence-based guideline work. She was a long-time member of the EAN, and of the EAN Scientific Panel on Movement Disorders, and a frequent participant at EAN Congresses, including as a speaker.
The board of the Austrian Parkinson’s Society paid tribute to Katzenschlager in an obituary on the society’s website, mourning “an exceptionally endearing person” and noting that “her subtle sense of humour, her warmth and her great human kindness made her an inspiring colleague and companion”.
The EAN offers our deepest condolences to her family, friends and colleagues.
The Austrian Parkinson Society’s obituary can be found here (in German): Nachruf auf Prim.a. Priv.-Doz.in Dr.in Regina Katzenschlager (06.06.1964 bis 21.04.2026) – Österreichische Parkinson-Gesellschaft
