Foreword – European Neurological Review, 2008;3(2):9-9

The primary objective of European Neurological Review is to promote the free interchange of neurological and neurosurgical knowledge and experience among its readers. The journal consistently presents clinical research of educational interest, covering multiple sclerosis, brain trauma and stroke, age-related brain degeneration, neurological surgery, neuroradiology and many other important areas. This issue offers useful advice on clinical approaches, strategies, philosophies and even training programmes, and contributes towards the establishment of uniform standards throughout neurology in Europe. Contributors are drawn from universities throughout Europe, including the UK (University College London, Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery and the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne), Sweden (University Hospital Uppsala and Karolinska Institute), Italy (University Hospital of Ferrara), Germany (University Duisburg-Essen) and others.
In the field of Parkinson’s disease, K Ray Chaudhuri and co-authors ask whether continuous dopaminergic stimulation is beneficial for non-motor symptoms in late-stage Parkinson’s disease, while Andrew Lees of University College London discusses the optimum time to commence Parkinson’s disease therapy and which therapies to choose. In the field of multiple sclerosis, Luisa Imberti et al. present an impressive paper on ‘Increase of IFNAR1 Messenger RNA in Myxovirus-protein-Ainduced Multiple Sclerosis Patients to Oppose Loss of Protein Receptor’. David Bates of the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne discusses some important unmet needs for people with multiple sclerosis. Stroke is a major focus of this issue.
‘Widening the Time Window for Intravenous Thrombolysis – Magnetic Resonance Imaging-based Selection’ by Geoffrey A Donnan et al. suggests there is strong biological evidence that the use of imaging techniques, particularly magnetic resonance imaging using perfusion-weighted imaging–diffusion-weighted imaging (PWI–DWI) mismatch, may allow the selection of patients likely to be responsive to thrombolytic therapy beyond the established period of three hours (and now beyond 4.5 hours, following the publication of the ECASS 3 study). Concluding the publication is a section on international health, with an insightful contribution from Karin Edebol Eeg-Olofsson at University Hospital Uppsala presenting research about upper motor neuron disorders in Africa.
With so much research being carried out in our field, it can be difficult to keep up to date with the developments relevant to our own specialities. This issue of European Neurological Review provides an excellent service in providing short, concise reviews that, combined, cover an extraordinary breadth and can help the busy clinician expand his or her knowledge. I strongly anticipate that it will meet all of these requirements and recruit more professional readers. ■