Year in Review in 2016

The application of imaging biomarkers has provided new insights into the mechanisms of damage in multiple sclerosis (MS) and the risk of MS development and progression. The goal of eliminating all disease activity requires a timely escalation of treatment. This increasing complexity is compounded by the need to treat comorbidities.

Diagnosis and management of epilepsy remain challenging, particularly among women of child-bearing age. In 2015, notable steps were taken in the right direction, with work that provided insight into the diagnosis of epilepsy, management of this condition during pregnancy, and new treatment options.

Tau protein abnormalities are key pathogenic features of Alzheimer disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. In 2015, new studies of the less common tauopathies, including progressive supranuclear palsy, chronic traumatic encephalopathy and frontotemporal lobar degeneration, have identified in vivo biomarkers and mechanisms that initiate tau pathology.

Important advances in Parkinson disease (PD) in 2015 included a revision of its clinical diagnostic criteria and a proposal for research criteria defining prodromal PD. Research published in the past year has also continued to expand our understanding of the roles of Lewy pathology and α-synuclein in the pathobiology of PD.

Gliomas are the most common form of malignant primary brain tumour. In the past year, substantial progress has been made in the classification and treatment of lower-grade gliomas (WHO grades II and III), and the FDA has approved a new therapy for newly diagnosed glioblastomas.

The past year has seen practice-changing findings in stroke research. Strong evidence now supports endovascular thrombectomy as the new gold standard of care in acute ischaemic stroke, and a pragmatic trial raised concerns over early intensive mobilization after stroke. Moreover, new insights were gained into the trajectory of stroke-associated cognitive decline.