Caution is warranted with the use of antiseizure medications in the context of COVID-19 illness.

This neurology update focuses on mental well-being of people with epilepsy and their caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is an interesting work elucidating for the first time a role for ataxin-1 (ATXN1) mutation, traditionally linked to spinocerebellar ataxia-type 1 (SCA1), in the pathogenesis of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE), the rodent model for Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

The International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group task force found sufficient evidence to formulate diagnostic criteria for pediatric clinical entity designated “restless sleep disorder”.

Societal Impact of Pain (SIP) is an international multi-stakeholder platform. Its long-term priorities are pain indicators, pain education, pain in employment, and pain research. This year traditional SIP Stakeholder Forum was on October 28th, 2020.

Extra transparency measures for COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics

The European Brain Council (EBC) is very pleased to announce the launch of updated disease fact sheets, providing a quick overview of key facts, history, known causes, diagnosis, symptoms and treatment of brain disorders – neurological and mental alike.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has a Healthcare Professionals’ Working Party (HCPWP) in which EAN participates since 2013. Meetings are mostly held together with the Consumers’ and Patients’ Working Party.

This year we were especially happy to receive so many good applications and are happy to announce that we could select the below grantees for an entire support of 81 months (instead of 72 as usual).

For December 2020, we have selected the following two papers: Zhang Q et al. ''COVID-19 case fatality and Parkinson’s disease'' and Bsteh G, et al. ''Multiple sclerosis and COVID-19: how many are at risk?''

EAN announces Virtual Congress in 2021

December's Executive Page is written by Elena Moro

December's Country of the Month is Albania

For December 2020, we have selected the following paper: Deuschl et al. The burden of neurological diseases in Europe: an analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017