By Steven L. Lewis, MD, Editor, and Walter Struhal, MD, Co-Editor
We would like to welcome all neurologists from around the globe to this issue of World Neurology, and at the start would like to again wish you, your families, and your patients all the best of health and safety at this time.
Steven L. Lewis, MD, Walter Struhal, MD
Much of this issue is devoted to an update on COVID-19. We are honored that the cover story on this issue is written by Drs. Avindra Nath and B. Jeanne Billioux from the Section of Infections of the Nervous System at the United States National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). They provide an up-to-the moment summary of the evolving knowledge about the interface of COVID-19 on neurology and our patients. In the President’s column, Dr. William Carroll reminds us of the importance of the pandemic on our patients and the role the WFN plays in, among other important aspects, advocating for maintaining the highest standard of care for neurological patients worldwide. Dr. Carroll also updates us on the enhancements to the WFN website as a clearinghouse for accurate and up-to-date information about neurological involvement in COVID-19 as well as its effects on neurological societies and neurological patients and services worldwide.
Dr. John England, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Neurological Sciences (JNS), provides his Editor’s Update on the journal, informing us of the efforts to invite and expeditiously publish the accepted papers in JNS relating to the neurological aspects of COVID-19. This issue also features an obituary, reprinted from JNS, of Prof. Alberto Portera-Sánchez, a pioneer of Spanish neurology and former vice president of the WFN, along with additional heartfelt words from Vladamir Hachinski, former president of the WFN.
Drs. Tissa Wijeratne, Claudia Trenkwalder, president of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society (IPMDS), Wolfgang Grisold, and Dr. Carroll, announce and update us on the efforts and ongoing plans for this year’s World Brain Day. This year’s World Brain Day focuses on ending Parkinson’s disease as a collaborative effort between the WFN and the IPMDS. Drs. Dafin Muresanu, Selevan Ovidiu, Cristian Andriescu, and Stefan Strilciuc, describe the history of neurological meetings in Transylvania, particularly the annual international events organized by the Society for the Study of Neuroprotection and Neuroplasticity (SSNN).
With this issue, we are also pleased to introduce a new column, written by WFN Secretary-General Wolfgang Grisold, who will update us with each issue about the many Committees of the WFN and their critical roles, beginning with the Standards and Evaluation Committee.
This issue also features a number of reports from the recipients of Junior Traveling Fellowships (JTFs) to attend the World Congress of Neurology (WCN) in October 2019 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. These heartfelt reports are reminders of the wonderful “in person” congress that so recently occurred (and yet now seems so distant for many reasons). Equally importantly, these reports serve as a reminder of the upcoming WCN 2021 we are so actively planning and looking forward to attending in Rome, Italy in October 2021.
Finally, as Dr. Carroll reminds us in his column, the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the WFN Council of Delegates (COD) remains scheduled for Sept. 9, 2020 during the ECTRIMS/ACTRIMS meeting in Washington. We look forward to seeing all of the delegates at this meeting, whether it is virtual or in person.
We hope you enjoy this issue of World Neurology, and look forward to receiving your contributions, especially updating all of our colleagues on how the current pandemic has (or has not) affected neurologists, our societies, and our patients around the globe. •
