Under the umbrella of the Women’s Brain Project (WBP), the second international Forum on Women’s Brain and Mental Health was held in Zurich (Switzerland) on June 8-9, 2019.

The Scientific Committee is fully committed to a great mission: To increase and share the best clinical knowledge and the cutting-edge information from translational research in all neurological fields. Main actions are i) to facilitate exchanges and synergies with the Scientific Panels ii) to support the Guideline Production Group (update and diffusion of expertise and best clinical practice), iii) to interact positively with other scientific societies with reciprocal exchanges and liaise with the European Affairs sub-Committee to increase the awareness of Neurology in Europe.

The EAN-Day in Estonia was organised in the 31st of May, 2019, in the Laulasmaa Conference Centre near Tallinn, next to the Annual Congress of the Estonian Ludvig Puusepp Society of Neurologists and Neurosurgeons. Three speakers from different European countries were invited, supported by the EAN , to lecture in topics by local needs: Professor Jean-Marc Leger an expert on peripheral neuropathies, from the University Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France; Professor Nils Erik Gilhus from the Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway, whose field in myasthenia; and Professor Alessandro Padovani from Brescia, Italy, to lecture on different aspects of dementias.

To celebrate World Brain Day (July 22nd), the European Federation of Neurological Associations [EFNA] co-hosted events in four European capitals – Brussels, Bucharest, Dublin and Warsaw!

During 2018 EFNA continued to build on some of their ongoing projects – such as the MEP Interest Group on Brain, Mind and Pain and the Training Initiatives for Neurology Advocates.

European elections: developments in EU institutions Even though summer has arrived in Brussels, activities have not slowed down at EU level and there have been significant changes in leadership announced. Below is an overview of the main developments in the ‘EU Bubble’ following the EU Elections of last May

31 July 2019: Alzheimer Europe' adds new trials to its Clinical Trials Watch resource

In 2018, EBC launched a wide range of events, projects and advocacy initiatives aimed at promoting brain research and addressing the disease burden of mental and neurological conditions.

It was a great honor for me to be awarded with the European Academy of Neurology Research Experience Fellowship. During my Fellowship I was for six months (January 2019 to June 2019) at the Department of Neurology, St. Josef-Hospital, Ruhr University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany to perform the project “Transorbital Sonography in patients with Optic Neuritis”.

Please find below recent articles from Swiss authors that have been published in the European Journal of Neurology.

 “SILENTLY LOSING THE BRAIN – The enigma of small vessel disease” Come to Copenhagen for the next Brain Prize Meeting in November 2019. With international keynote speakers, including the 2019 prize winners, the Lundbeck Foundation Brain Prize Meeting aims to bring a broad range of researchers to discuss why small vessel disease has emerged as a major contributor to dementia, migraine and stroke worldwide.

Founded in1996, the European Institute of Women’s Health (EIWH) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) and registered charity. The Institute uses an evidence-based approach to advocate for equitable, sex- and gender-sensitivity in health policy, research, promotion, treatment and care.  It also promotes biomedical and socio-economic research that addresses sex and gender-based differences to ensure access to quality treatment and care for women across their lifespan. 

It is my pleasure to introduce the backbone of our society, the Scientific Panels, to you in my role as the Scientific Committee Chair. EAN Scientific Panels cover a wide range of subspecialties and play a significant role in the EAN everyday activities. These member-led groups are a perfect opportunity to network with colleagues

For September 2019, we have selected two scientific papers with a common theme: Goadsby et al., Trial of galcanezumab in prevention of episodic cluster headache NEJM 2019; 381: 132-41, and Lipton et al., Rimegepant, an oral calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist, for migraine NEJM 2019; 381: 142-9.