ANA Investigates
The latest in neurology and neuroscience, each month from the ANA!
ANA members are offered the opportunity to claim AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Detailed information about CME is on OnDEC.
Listen to ANA Investigates here or on your podcast application of choice. To receive automatic updates when new episodes are released, subscribe on Apple | Spotify. Review the full details of each episode here.
Producer
ANA Investigates host & executive producer: Adeline Goss, MD, Highland Hospital
ANA Investigates episode producers & planners are members of the ANA’s Education Innovation Committee.
Most Recent Episodes
ANA Investigates At a time when support for basic and translational science needs a strong voice and the burden of neurological disease is growing, the ANA is the champion of neurological research and the ally of all physicians and scientists who strive to make a difference through careers that combine discovery, education, and clinical care. From advances in stroke and dementia to movement disorders and epilepsy, the American Neurological Association has been at the forefront of research and practice since 1875 as the premier professional society of academic neurologists and neuroscientists devoted to understanding and treating diseases of the nervous system.
- ANA Investigates The Neural Exposomeby The American Neurological Association on April 29, 2025 at 11:00 am
Look around you right now and think for a minute about all of the things you’re exposed to: the coffee you’re drinking, the mug holding the coffee you’re drinking, the soap that mug was washed in, the sleep you got last night -- or didn’t get. All of this is part of what we now call your exposome. And as we’re learning, the neural exposome influences our risk of developing a range of neurologic diseases. Our guest today is Dr. Eva Feldman, the James W Albers Distinguished University Professor and the Russell N. De Young professor of neurology and neurosurgery at the University of Michigan. She’ll talk to us about research on the neural exposome in neurodegenerative disease -- and what we should be telling patients and policymakers about this research. Dr. Feldman was interviewed by Dr. Vinita Acharya, Professor of Neurology and Distinguished Educator at Penn State College of Medicine. Guest: Dr. Eva Feldman, the James W Albers Distinguished University Professor and the Russell N. De Young professor of neurology and neurosurgery at the University of Michigan - https://medicine.umich.edu/dept/mni/eva-feldman-md-phd Interviewer: Dr. Vinita Acharya, Professor of Neurology and Distinguished Educator at Penn State College of Medicine Disclosures: None
- ANA Investigates Health Policy and Advocacy in Neurologyby The American Neurological Association on March 25, 2025 at 11:34 am
Neurologists bring an important perspective to health policy. But few have formal training in how to advocate for patients at a state or national level. Our guest today, Dr. Kara Stavros, is an associate professor of neurology at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and the President of the Rhode Island Medical Society. She’s also a self-described advocate, who’s found a number of ways to speak up for her patients and influence health policy. Dr. Stavros spoke about her path to advocacy with Dr. Sarah Nelson, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Tufts Medical Center. Guest: Dr. Kara Stavros, associate professor of neurology at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and the President of the Rhode Island Medical Society Interviewer: Dr. Sarah Nelson, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Tufts Medical Center Disclosures: None
- ANA Investigates Biological Staging of Parkinson’s Diseaseby The American Neurological Association on February 25, 2025 at 12:00 pm
Parkinson’s Disease has long been a clinical diagnosis. But recently, there have been proposals to redefine the disease based on biomarkers of alpha-synucleinopathy and dopaminergic dysfunction. A similar shift has already occurred in Alzheimer disease, with the “amyloid, tau, and neurodegeneration,” or ATN, classification system. Our guest today, Michael Okun, is is Professor of Neurology and Director of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at the University of Florida and medical advisor for the Parkinson's Foundation. He co-authored an op-ed in JAMA last summer in JAMA arguing that there would be benefits to a biological definition of Parkinson’s - but there would also be risks. He’ll unpack both sides of this debate today with Dr. Christine Doss Esper, Associate Professor of Neurology at Emory University. Series 6, Episode 5 Featuring: Guest: Dr. Michael Okun, is Professor of Neurology and Director of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at the University of Florida and medical advisor for the Parkinson's Foundation Interviewer: Dr. Christine Doss Esper, Associate Professor of Neurology at Emory University Disclosures: None
- ANA Investigates Atrial Fibrillation After Strokeby The American Neurological Association on January 28, 2025 at 12:00 pm
We all know that atrial fibrillation is associated with increased risk of stroke. But new research suggests that how we define afib -- and the timing and duration of the arrhythmia -- may be important for how we manage it in stroke patients. Luciano Sposato is a Professor of Neurology and Head of the Stroke Program at Western University in Ontario. He’ll talk to Christoph Stretz, vascular neurologist at Brown University, about the latest research into afib and aflutter after stroke -- and how this research might impact current clinical practice. Series 6, Episode 4 Featuring: Guest: Dr. Luciano Sposato, Professor of Neurology and Head of the Stroke Program at Western University in Ontario & Interviewer: Christoph Stretz, vascular neurologist at Brown University Disclosures: Dr. Sposato disclosed consulting fees and honoraria from Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer, Gore, Astrazeneca, and Simcere.
- ANA Investigates Dementia in Africaby The American Neurological Association on December 31, 2024 at 10:00 am
Dementia is a global issue, with two-thirds of people with dementia living in low- and middle- income countries. Despite this, dementia research continues to focus on patients in high-income countries. Our guest on this episode, Dr. Riadh Gouider, is working to correct this imbalance. Dr. Gouider is the Head of the Department of Neurology and the Alzheimer Center at Razi Hospital in Tunisia and an advisor on the latest WHO Global Action Plan on the public health response to dementia. He spoke with Dr. Jayant Acharya, Professor and Chair of Neurology at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine -- about challenges, and opportunities, for dementia research across the globe. Series 6, Episode 3 Featuring: Dr. Riadh Gouider, Head of the Department of Neurology and the Alzheimer Center at Razi Hospital in Tunisia & Dr. Jayant Acharya, Professor and Chair of Neurology at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Disclosures: None Below are the links to the publications discussed during this episode. Lancet Commission on Dementia: https://www.thelancet.com/commissions/dementia-prevention-intervention-care WHO Global Action Plan on Dementia: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/global-action-plan-on-the-public-health-response-to-dementia-2017---2025