American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 60th Annual Meeting. 12 to 19 April 2008

The Annual Meeting of the AAN is the major meeting in the USA covering all aspects of neurology and attracts a large number of international presenters. At the 2008 meeting in Chicago, as has been the case in recent years, multiple sclerosis (MS) was the neurological disorder that attracted the most extensive contributions and interest. Aspects of MS that were most actively addressed were trials of treatment with new agents (oral immune-modulating medications and monoclonal antibodies), further assessment of established immune-modulating agents particularly head-to-head trials, Devics disease (neuromyelitis optica) and its relationship to MS, and MS in children. In addition to about 300 poster and platform presentations on MS topics, MS therapy was reviewed at a 2-hour evening meeting. Space does not allow acknowledgement of most of the individual reports of particular interest and the following is a general overview.