Alcohol use disorders serve as a significant and modifiable risk factor for the development of dementia, underscoring the urgent need for proactive clinical and public health interventions. Emerging research suggests that the relationship between alcohol consumption and cognitive health is nuanced, with studies indicating that the lowest risk for cognitive dysfunction and dementia is associated with low-level intake, specifically around 30 g and 15 g of alcohol per day, respectively. To effectively mitigate the long-term impact of alcohol-related cognitive decline, healthcare systems must prioritise the integration of routine screening for heavy drinking into standard medical care, ensuring timely access to intervention and treatment. Beyond individual clinical efforts, the implementation of broader population-level alcohol policies remains a vital strategy to reduce excessive consumption and ultimately lower the societal burden of alcohol-related dementia.
REDEFINING the role of AI in acute stroke care, a presentation delivered during the session ‘AI in Hospital Neurology’ at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2026 examined how AI is evolving beyond automated image analysis to become a clinical decision-support tool. Susanna Wegener, Senior Physician, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland, presented emerging research spanning prognostic prediction, treatment decision-making, and secondary stroke prevention. The presentation delivered a key message that successful AI implementation will rely not only on increasingly sophisticated algorithms, but also on clinically meaningful data, transparent predictions, and the trust of the clinicians using them.
THE EUROPEAN Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2026 opened in Geneva, Switzerland, with EAN President Elena Moro, Department of Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurological Rehabilitation, Grenoble University Hospital Center, France, welcoming participants to “my home, your home, the home of neurology.” Geneva’s long association with international dialogue suited the message, and Moro reminded the audience that neurology knows no borders.
DESPITE being the second most common degenerative dementia after Alzheimer’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) remains underrecognised, and disease-modifying treatments are not currently available. Experts at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2026 explored the evolving understanding of DLB, including advances in diagnosis, emerging biological definitions of disease, and the expanding therapeutic landscape. The session, held jointly with the European Section of the Movement Disorder Society, was chaired by Irena Rektorová, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia; and Dag Aarsland, King’s College London, UK.
Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is a rare, severe, progressive, immune-mediated disease characterised by progressive or relapsing muscle weakness and sensory disturbance, which can lead to irreversible disability. The neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) blocker efgartigimod is approved for the treatment of CIDP based on the pivotal ADHERE trial, in which it reduced relapse risk, improved disability scores, and was well tolerated in patients with CIDP. This article summarises data from several post-hoc analyses of the ADHERE trial presented as posters at leading neurology congresses in 2026. In the cohort of patients from the ADHERE trial who were treatment naïve and recently diagnosed with CIDP, efgartigimod showed evidence of clinical improvement (ECI) across multiple functional domains. Efgartigimod also demonstrated long-term improvements in grip strength and improved the key measure of arm and leg disability in patients with CIDP across the wider ADHERE population. Findings from molecular analysis showed a reduction in IgG autoantibody signatures in efgartigimod-treated patients in ADHERE, consistent with its mechanism of action, and identified neurofilament light (NfL) as a potentially useful biomarker for axonal damage in CIDP. Collectively, these analyses reflect the continued evolution of CIDP research, linking clinical outcomes with emerging biological insights to expand understanding of treatment response, disease activity, and patient heterogeneity.
While hormonal changes have been recognised to influence seizure control and have been studied in association with menstrual cycles and pregnancy, there is a paucity of data on the menopause transition in epilepsy. Given the known effects of sex steroid hormones on neuronal excitability, their endogenous fluctuations during perimenopause, as well as menopause hormone treatments, may alter seizure control. Epilepsy may also be associated with premature ovarian insufficiency and early menopause. This is especially important for epilepsy-related comorbidities, for which menopause can constitute a second hit, such as osteoporosis. Additional considerations for females with epilepsy across the menopause continuum include changes in antiseizure medication clearance and potential interactions with menopausal hormone therapy or other concomitant medications. This comprehensive review summarises the currently available literature on epilepsy and menopause, highlights gaps in knowledge, and underscores the need for research efforts, particularly longitudinal studies investigating the menopause transition.
EMJ spoke with Lukas Rasulic to explore the latest advances in peripheral nerve repair, the integration of functional neurosurgery, and the evolving role of collaborative care in improving outcomes for complex nerve injuries.
Growing evidence suggests that biological sex influences disease risk, clinical presentation, treatment response, and prognosis across neurological conditions. Despite this increasing awareness of important sex differences, neurological research and clinical care remain insufficiently tailored to females. In this review, the authors highlight the importance of integrating sex-specific considerations into precision medicine for neurological disorders. Focusing on five high-prevalence and high-burden neurological conditions (epilepsy, migraine, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and neurodegenerative diseases), this review identifies critical knowledge gaps and actionable opportunities for advancing care for females. Such gaps and opportunities include: 1) improved pregnancy and lactation data in epilepsy; 2) hormonal influences across the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause in migraine; 3) sex-based disparities in symptom recognition, treatment access, and rehabilitation for stroke patients; 4) the influence of sex hormones on disease onset, progression, and prognosis in multiple sclerosis; and 5) sex differences in pathophysiology and clinical trajectories in neurodegenerative diseases. This review proposes a roadmap for integrating sex-based considerations into three key domains: clinical care, research, and neurology training. Prioritising and advancing these initiatives is essential for improving neurological care and represents a critical step towards equitable precision medicine.
In this patient-focused interview, EMJ spoke to Jean-Philippe Plançon, a patient with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) and the current President of the European Patients Organization for Dysimmune & Inflammatory Neuropathies (EPODIN). Plançon has lived with CIDP for 25 years and, in his role as patient advocate, acts as a voice for patients with CIDP and other immune-mediated peripheral neuropathies at the European level.
