At the World Congress of Neurology, WHO Outlines a Global Roadmap to Make Brain Health a Universal Reality

15 OCTOBER 2025, SEOUL/LONDON — Neurological conditions now affect more than 40% of the population—over 3 billion people, according to WHO’s Global Status Report on Neurology, released at the World Congress of Neurology (WCN) in Seoul.

The report reveals that neurological conditions affect one in three people, with over 80% of the burden in low- and middle-income countries. Despite its prevalence, too few countries have a standalone or integrated policy on neurology, only a minority include neurological services in UHC benefit packages, and workforce shortages remain profound—necessitating task-sharing and primary-care strengthening to close treatment gaps.

“The science is clear and the path is practical,” said Dr. Tarun Dua of the World Health Organization. “If countries embed brain health in universal coverage, strengthen primary care, ensure access to essential medicines, reduce stigma, and invest in data systems, we can measurably improve lives—especially in settings where the need is greatest.”

Addressing delegates live at the WCN, Dr. Dua called for an accelerated, whole-of-society push to make brain health a policy priority in every country. Framing brain health as an essential pillar of public health, Dr Dua urged neurologists, policymakers, and partners to align on integrated strategies that move care from fragmented to coordinated, from urban specialty settings to strong, community-based primary care.

The report, strategically and symbolically announced at the Congress, outlines the urgency and opportunity for advancement in brain health on a global scale—and the key role WFN and its membership organizations play in brain health research and advocacy worldwide.

“The significance of the WHO announcement coming from the World Congress of Neurology underscores the importance of neurologists playing an active role in brain health advocacy worldwide,” says Prof. Wolfgang Grisold, WFN president. “With the rising prevalence of neurological conditions, we are committed to working with WHO on real solutions, including supporting neurologists in advocacy work, in addition to training programs to help combat the severe lack of qualified health professionals, particularly in low-income countries.”

The WHO’s Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders (IGAP) and brain health framework are the scaffolding for rapid progress. Implementation pathways, including WHO’s IGAP toolkit (developed with partners including WFN), are already enabling progress. Case examples span policy and coordination in Moldova, medicine access gains in Tanzania, and lived-experience-led road mapping in South Africa, illustrating how national societies, ministries of health, and patient groups can translate a global plan into local results.

With progress on the horizon, this serves as a global call to action to make neurology and brain health a policy priority.

“This is not a siloed agenda; it’s an integrated public-health imperative,” said Dua.

About the World Congress of Neurology

The World Federation of Neurology’s World Congress of Neurology brings together leading neuroscientists and public health experts to turn research into action and emphasize the importance of brain health across the globe. The 27th biennial conference was held in Seoul, South Korea from October 12 to 15, 2025, and was co-hosted by the Korean Neurological Association (KNA).

About the World Federation of Neurology

With support from its 126 Member Societies, the World Federation of Neurology fosters quality neurology and brain health worldwide by promoting neurological education and training, emphasizing under-resourced areas of the world. As a non-state actor in official relations, WFN supports the World Health Organization (WHO) efforts to give everyone an equal chance to live a healthy life. With Member Societies around the globe, WFN unites the world’s neurologists to ensure quality neurology and advocate for people to have better brain health. Learn more about the World Federation of Neurology at wfneurology.org.

For media inquiries, please contact ashley@yakketyyak.com

At the World Congress of Neurology, Prof. Charlotte Cordonnier Charts the Next Evolution in Stroke Care

14 OCTOBER 2025, Seoul/London — At the World Congress of Neurology (WCN), Prof. Charlotte Cordonnier, Professor of Neurology in the Lille University Hospital, France urged the global neurology community to carry forward the lessons of the ischemic stroke revolution and apply them to one of medicine’s most urgent frontiers: intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).

“Over the past 30 years, our understanding of time, teamwork, and imaging transformed ischemic stroke from a fatal event to a treatable emergency,” she said. “Now it’s time to bring that same focus, innovation, and collaboration to hemorrhagic stroke — where mortality remains unacceptably high and progress has lagged behind.”

Prof. Cordonnier outlined a three-step strategy for the future of ICH care: prevent hematoma expansion, promote hematoma evacuation, and counter neuroinflammatory response. She emphasized that success will come not from isolated interventions, but from integrated, time-sensitive care models that combine imaging, neurointensive medicine, pharmacologic innovation, and personalized targets for blood pressure and organ function.

Her vision calls for a new generation of data-driven stroke units, where imaging and biomarkers work in tandem to guide individualized treatment decisions. “We must look beyond the vessel and focus on the blood content and its toxicity,” she explained. “Understanding how blood interacts with brain tissue — and how to reverse those effects — is the next great leap.”

Beyond acute care, Prof. Cordonnier highlighted the importance of prevention and long-term brain health, noting that small vessel disease burden strongly predicts both functional and cognitive decline among stroke survivors. “Prevention doesn’t end at the hospital,” she said. “It begins with promoting brain health across the lifespan and reducing small-vessel damage before the first event ever occurs.”

“We’re in an evolution that connects everything we’ve learned from ischemic stroke to a new era of care for hemorrhagic stroke. Together, through science, precision, and collaboration, we can change the story for these patients.”

Her remarks reflected a defining message of this year’s Congress: that neurology’s greatest breakthroughs arise not from isolated discoveries, but from collective evolution — translating decades of insight into new standards of care that extend and improve lives worldwide.

About the World Congress of Neurology

The World Federation of Neurology’s World Congress of Neurology brings together leading neuroscientists and public health experts to turn research into action and emphasize the importance of brain health across the globe. The 27th biennial conference was held in Seoul, South Korea from October 12 to 15, 2025, and was co-hosted by the Korean Neurological Association (KNA).

About the World Federation of Neurology

With support from its 126 Member Societies, the World Federation of Neurology fosters quality neurology and brain health worldwide by promoting neurological education and training, emphasizing under-resourced areas of the world. As a non-state actor in official relations, WFN supports the World Health Organization (WHO) efforts to give everyone an equal chance to live a healthy life. With Member Societies around the globe, WFN unites the world’s neurologists to ensure quality neurology and advocate for people to have better brain health. Learn more about the World Federation of Neurology at wfneurology.org.

For media inquiries, please contact ashley@yakketyyak.com

At the World Congress of Neurology, Professor Mary Reilly Highlights a Turning Point in Gene-Based Therapies for Inherited Neuropathies

14 OCTOBER 2025, Seoul/London — A rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape for inherited neuropathies — one in which gene silencing, gene editing, and biomarker-driven innovation are reshaping what is possible for patients once considered untreatable. Speaking at the World Congress of Neurology (WCN), Prof. Mary Reilly MBE, MD, FRCP, FRCPI, FMedSci, Professor of Clinical Neurology and Consultant Neurologist, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, shares that science has finally caught up with the vision.

“After decades of mapping the genetic causes of neuropathy, we are finally treating them at their source,” said Reilly. “What once felt theoretical is now entering the clinic.”

Prof. Reilly traced the path from early genetic discoveries in transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis — once a uniformly fatal condition — to today’s RNA- and CRISPR-based therapies that silence or edit disease-causing genes directly. These breakthroughs have transformed outcomes and set a precedent for applying gene-based treatments to broader classes of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) and related disorders.

Biomarkers such as neurofilament light chain and MRI fat fraction are emerging as critical tools to measure treatment response and accelerate regulatory approval.

“For slowly progressive neurogenetic diseases, we need surrogate endpoints that predict clinical change,” said Prof. Reilly. “Without them, our trials will take too long, and progress will slow.”

As patients live longer, novel disease patterns, such as central nervous system involvement in TTR amyloidosis, are beginning to emerge, underscoring the need to study the natural history of treated diseases. This calls for collaboration across industry, regulators, and academia to ensure delivery challenges, safety standards, and long trial timelines do not stall innovation.

“We’re learning how to deliver therapies not just to the liver or muscle, but to the peripheral nerve itself,” she said. “Each barrier we overcome expands what’s possible for the next disease.”

The precision tools of modern genetics, once confined to theory, are now rewriting the future of neurology and neurodegenerative care.

“We are at the cusp of a transformative moment,” Prof. Reilly concluded. “Inherited neuropathies are moving from gene discovery to gene therapy. The next challenge — and opportunity — is to make these treatments safe, scalable, and accessible to every patient who needs them.”

About the World Congress of Neurology

The World Federation of Neurology’s World Congress of Neurology brings together leading neuroscientists and public health experts to turn research into action and emphasize the importance of brain health across the globe. The 27th biennial conference was held in Seoul, South Korea from October 12 to 15, 2025, and was co-hosted by the Korean Neurological Association (KNA).

About the World Federation of Neurology

With support from its 126 Member Societies, the World Federation of Neurology fosters quality neurology and brain health worldwide by promoting neurological education and training, emphasizing under-resourced areas of the world. As a non-state actor in official relations, WFN supports the World Health Organization (WHO) efforts to give everyone an equal chance to live a healthy life. With Member Societies around the globe, WFN unites the world’s neurologists to ensure quality neurology and advocate for people to have better brain health. Learn more about the World Federation of Neurology at wfneurology.org.

For media inquiries, please contact ashley@yakketyyak.com

At the World Congress of Neurology, Dr. Fumihiko Sakai Showcases a Scalable Workplace Model to Transform Migraine Awareness, Care, and Productivity

Media Summary:
At the World Congress of Neurology, Dr. Fumihiko Sakai (Japan) presented a landmark real-world public health model demonstrating how workplace-based migraine education and virtual consultation can dramatically reduce stigma, improve self-management, and boost productivity across a major global corporation. The Fujitsu-GPAC initiative — reaching more than 80,000 employees — serves as a blueprint for global industry adoption to elevate brain health, empower workers, and meaningfully reduce economic burden from migraine.

October 14, 2025, SEOUL/LONDON — Speaking at the World Congress of Neurology, Dr. Fumihiko Sakai Fumihiko Sakai, M.D., Director of Saitama International Headache Center, Saitama Neuropsychiatric Institute, Japan, detailed a pioneering workplace migraine program developed with Fujitsu and the Global Patient Advocacy Coalition (GPAC) — presenting evidence that large-scale education, empathy training, and virtual specialist access can reshape migraine care, reduce disability, and shift cultural attitudes in a corporate environment.

Migraine is a leading cause of disability during peak working years, yet awareness and care remain strikingly low, especially among younger adults who often do not seek treatment.

“Most migraine-related productivity loss is silent,” says Prof. Sakai. “If we cannot see it, we struggle to support the people experiencing it.”

The Fujitsu initiative engaged over 70,000 employees through e-learning, virtual consultation, and workplace exercise and wellness strategies. Completion rates exceeded 90%, and more than 70% of participants reported the education was useful — leading to measurable improvements in understanding migraine severity, reducing stigma, and encouraging care-seeking behavior.

Crucially, productivity gains were significant:

• 2 fewer missed workdays per employee per year
• 14 days regained annually through reduced presenteeism
• A return-on-investment measured at over 3000%, driven largely by culture change and education rather than expensive interventions

“Good education can gain a lot,” Dr. Sakai noted. “We saw attitudes shift, compassion increase, and people begin to support one another. This is the true foundation of brain-healthy workplaces.”

Beyond the workplace, Dr. Sakai underscored the importance of grassroots patient advocacy, accessible self-diagnosis tools, and AI-enabled multilingual support to connect patient communities globally. He also highlighted self-care strategies rooted in neurophysiology — demonstrating how identifying triggers and practicing cervical-trigeminal exercises may help patients distinguish and manage migraine in real time.

Looking ahead, he called for industry-wide adoption of similar programs and a cultural reframing of migraine from an invisible burden to a treatable, preventable, and human-centered workplace health priority. “This model can apply to every sector,” he said. “When companies recognize migraine as a serious condition — and empower people — everyone benefits.”

About the World Congress of Neurology

The World Federation of Neurology’s World Congress of Neurology brings together leading neuroscientists and public health experts to turn research into action and emphasize the importance of brain health across the globe. The 27th biennial conference was held in Seoul, South Korea from October 12 to 15, 2025, and was co-hosted by the Korean Neurological Association (KNA).

About the World Federation of Neurology

With support from its 126 Member Societies, the World Federation of Neurology fosters quality neurology and brain health worldwide by promoting neurological education and training, emphasizing under-resourced areas of the world. As a non-state actor in official relations, WFN supports the World Health Organization (WHO) efforts to give everyone an equal chance to live a healthy life. With Member Societies around the globe, WFN unites the world’s neurologists to ensure quality neurology and advocate for people to have better brain health. Learn more about the World Federation of Neurology at wfneurology.org.

At the World Congress of Neurology, Prof. John Hardy Calls for a New Era of Precision and Possibility in Alzheimer’s Treatment

Media Summary:
At the World Congress of Neurology, Prof. Sir John Hardy, Chair of Molecular Biology of Neurological Disease at the UCL Institute of Neurology, London. shared an optimistic vision for the future of Alzheimer’s care, emphasizing that decades of genetic and molecular research are now yielding real clinical progress. He highlighted advances in amyloid-clearing therapies, microglial biology, and biomarker technology as the foundation of a new, more precise approach to diagnosis and treatment — one that could redefine how the disease is prevented and managed worldwide.

14 OCTOBER, 2025, SEOUL — The Alzheimer’s field is on the brink of transformation, according to Prof. Sir John Hardy, Chair of Molecular Biology of Neurological Disease at the UCL Institute of Neurology, London. Speaking before a global audience of neurologists at the World Congress of Neurology (WCN), Prof. Hardy shares how decades of foundational research are now converging into a new generation of Alzheimer’s treatments grounded by the urgent need for earlier, safer interventions worldwide

Prof. Hardy, whose genetic discoveries helped define the molecular underpinnings of Alzheimer’s disease, shared an optimistic vision for the years ahead. “For the first time, we’re seeing therapies that truly modify the course of the disease,” he said. “The challenge now is not discovery — it’s delivery. How do we bring effective treatments to people earlier, safer, and at scale?”

He highlighted advances in amyloid-clearing antibodies and microglial biology, alongside powerful new biomarkers such as phospho-tau-217, as key forces reshaping the diagnostic and therapeutic landscape. These breakthroughs, Hardy noted, signal a move toward treating Alzheimer’s with the same precision and proactivity once reserved for cardiovascular disease or cancer.

Despite these advances, the future of Alzheimer’s care will depend on smarter trial design and regulatory adaptation — using biomarkers as surrogate endpoints to accelerate the path from laboratory to clinic.

“We already have the tools,” said Hardy. “If we recognize validated biomarkers as reliable indicators of efficacy, we can shorten timelines dramatically. Every year saved is a lifetime gained for patients.”

Prof. Hardy’s address captured a defining theme of this year’s Congress: the translation of decades of neuroscience into actionable pathways for prevention and personalized care. As the field accelerates, his message was clear — Alzheimer’s is no longer an untouchable mystery, but a disease on the verge of manageability, driven by scientific persistence and collective vision.

“We’re entering a phase of measurable progress — in treatment response, in safety, in early diagnosis,” Prof. Hardy concluded. “The foundation is finally in place. What happens next depends on how quickly we align science, regulation, and access. This is a moment for momentum — not hesitation.”

About the World Congress of Neurology

The World Federation of Neurology’s World Congress of Neurology brings together leading neuroscientists and public health experts to turn research into action and emphasize the importance of brain health across the globe. The 27th biennial conference was held in Seoul, South Korea from October 12 to 15, 2025, and was co-hosted by the Korean Neurological Association (KNA).

About the World Federation of Neurology

With support from its 126 Member Societies, the World Federation of Neurology fosters quality neurology and brain health worldwide by promoting neurological education and training, emphasizing under-resourced areas of the world. As a non-state actor in official relations, WFN supports the World Health Organization (WHO) efforts to give everyone an equal chance to live a healthy life. With Member Societies around the globe, WFN unites the world’s neurologists to ensure quality neurology and advocate for people to have better brain health. Learn more about the World Federation of Neurology at wfneurology.org.

New Frontier in Brain Aging: Targeting Senescent Cells to Preserve Cognitive Health

Media Summary:
 At the World Congress of Neurology, Dr. Mikołaj Ogrodnik presented groundbreaking research showing that senescent cells — long regarded as drivers of peripheral organ aging — also accumulate in the brain and contribute directly to neurodegenerative pathology and cognitive decline. His lecture highlighted the emergence of senolytic therapies, advances in understanding cellular aging in the nervous system, and the possibility of reversing age-related brain dysfunction by selectively eliminating senescent cells. The talk marks a pivotal moment in linking fundamental aging biology to future therapeutic strategies for neurodegeneration.

October 14, 2025, SEOUL/LONDON — At the World Congress of Neurology, Dr. Mikołaj Ogrodnik, PhD, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Traumatology, Austria, delivered a compelling plenary lecture revealing how cellular senescence — a hallmark of aging biology — may be a key driver of brain dysfunction and neurodegenerative disease.

For decades, senescent cells were studied primarily in cell culture and later also in peripheral tissues. Dr. Ogrodnik traced the evolution of the field from early laboratory discoveries to the recognition that senescent brain cells, including microglia, astrocytes, and oligodendrocyte precursor cells, accumulate with age and in neurodegenerative disease — and may actively impair memory and cognition.

“Senescent cells in the brain are real. They arise with aging, increase in number during disease, and contribute to cognitive decline. Importantly, when we effectively and selectively target them, function improves,” he emphasized.

Dr. Ogrodnik highlighted pioneering studies showing that senolytic treatments improve memory, reduce pathological protein accumulation, and restore behavioral performance in aging and neurodegeneration models, and neurological disorders.

Dr. Ogrodnik emphasized that senescent cells appear in diverse conditions, from Alzheimer’s disease and obesity-related brain dysfunction to traumatic brain injury. Research reveals striking behavioral recovery in aged mice treated with senescence-targeting compounds, including improved maze navigation and exploratory behavior.

Senescence may reflect a “wound-like” response in the brain, triggered by stress and damage — and in some cases, might be reversible. This introduces a new therapeutic horizon with precision senolytics designed to selectively block harmful senescent brain cells — and eventually, target damage at its source.

“If senescence is an injury response, then correcting the damage signals — not only clearing the cells — may allow us to truly reverse aspects of brain aging,” he noted.

He urged the neurology community to accelerate clinical translation, build brain-specific senolytic tools, and rigorously define senescence biomarkers. Emerging initiatives, including global consensus criteria for identifying senescent cells (Minimum Information for Cellular Senescence Experimentation, MICSE), set the stage for standardized research and therapeutic development.

“We are entering a moment when neurodegeneration research and aging biology converge. Targeting senescent cells offers a path toward not only slowing decline — but potentially restoring cognitive function.”

About the World Congress of Neurology

The World Federation of Neurology’s World Congress of Neurology brings together leading neuroscientists and public health experts to turn research into action and emphasize the importance of brain health across the globe. The 27th biennial conference was held in Seoul, South Korea from October 12 to 15, 2025, and was co-hosted by the Korean Neurological Association (KNA).

About the World Federation of Neurology

With support from its 126 Member Societies, the World Federation of Neurology fosters quality neurology and brain health worldwide by promoting neurological education and training, emphasizing under-resourced areas of the world. As a non-state actor in official relations, WFN supports the World Health Organization (WHO) efforts to give everyone an equal chance to live a healthy life. With Member Societies around the globe, WFN unites the world’s neurologists to ensure quality neurology and advocate for people to have better brain health. Learn more about the World Federation of Neurology at wfneurology.org.

At the World Congress of Neurology, Prof. Sean Pittock Outlines a Bold New Era for Autoimmune Neurology — From Discovery to Targeted Immune Reset

Media Summary:
At the World Congress of Neurology, Prof. Sean Pittock (Chair Neurology at the Mayo Clinic, USA) unveiled emerging strategies that could dramatically shorten the road from discovery to lasting remission in rare autoimmune neurological diseases. He introduced new concepts for targeted CAR-T cell therapies, immune “reset” treatments that aim for years of drug-free stability, and modernized clinical-trial designs that reflect how small-population diseases truly behave. Together, these advances signal a shift from simply managing symptoms to restoring immune balance — and restoring lives.

October 14, 2025, SEOUL/LONDON— At the World Congress of Neurology, Prof. Sean Pittock described how the next generation of therapies could transform autoimmune neurology from a discipline of chronic management to one of potential cures.

He spotlighted a new wave of cell-based treatments that retrain rather than suppress the immune system. One approach under early development uses high-precision CAR-T cells engineered to find and remove only the rogue immune cells that attack the brain and spinal cord — a level of accuracy once thought impossible. Another uses “tolerizing” or in-vivo CAR-T platforms designed to teach the immune system to stop attacking altogether.

“These therapies could give patients years of normal life without continuous medication,” Pittock said. “They’re not about turning the immune system off — they’re about turning it right again.”

Still, a central challenge remains: more than 95% of autoimmune neurological diseases still lack approved treatments, despite precise mechanistic understanding and validated antibodies guiding diagnosis.

Faster, smarter clinical trials are necessary to keep pace with discovery. Current studies often rely on broad disability scales borrowed from other conditions; Pittock urged replacing them with biomarkers and functional outcomes that better capture how patients actually recover. By matching trials to biology, he said, “we can bring effective treatments to patients within years — not decades.”

Citing the success of targeted treatments in neuromyelitis optica, which moved from a disease biomarker (aquaporin-4 antibody) to three approved drugs in less than fifteen years, Pittock predicted similar momentum for a wider range of autoimmune disorders once regulators adopt these more flexible, science-based frameworks.

The next frontier in neurology lies not just in treating disease, but in restoring the body’s natural capacity to heal itself.

“We have the knowledge and the tools,” said Dr. Pittock. “Now the challenge is urgency — delivering these breakthroughs to the people waiting for them.”

Autoimmune neurology is transforming from an undefined specialty to one of the most rapidly advancing frontiers in neuroscience — driven by precise immune correction instead of lifelong suppression, measurable recovery instead of slow decline, and collaboration among scientists, clinicians, and policymakers to make it happen.

About the World Congress of Neurology

The World Federation of Neurology’s World Congress of Neurology brings together leading neuroscientists and public health experts to turn research into action and emphasize the importance of brain health across the globe. The 27th biennial conference was held in Seoul, South Korea from October 12 to 15, 2025, and was co-hosted by the Korean Neurological Association (KNA).

About the World Federation of Neurology

With support from its 126 Member Societies, the World Federation of Neurology fosters quality neurology and brain health worldwide by promoting neurological education and training, emphasizing under-resourced areas of the world. As a non-state actor in official relations, WFN supports the World Health Organization (WHO) efforts to give everyone an equal chance to live a healthy life. With Member Societies around the globe, WFN unites the world’s neurologists to ensure quality neurology and advocate for people to have better brain health. Learn more about the World Federation of Neurology at wfneurology.org.