Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
In 2017, extensive research into multiple sclerosis (MS) resulted in improved diagnostic criteria, development of biomarkers that enable monitoring of disease evolution and treatment response over time, and identification of novel genetic markers of disease susceptibility. In addition, 2017 saw the first successful clinical trials of remyelination strategies and treatments for progressive MS.
In 2017, dramatic advances have been made in the treatment of motor neuron diseases. New therapies have been approved for spinal muscular atrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and a host of other therapies that are currently under development are showing promising results.
2017 saw the publication of new classifications for epilepsy and seizure types, which emphasize the importance of understanding the underlying disease mechanisms. This aetiology-based approach is already beginning to inform developments in therapies and trial design in the epilepsies.
The past year saw advances in endovascular treatment for acute stroke, speech therapy for aphasia after stroke, and cardiac disease management to prevent stroke. These treatments were characterized by more intensive or more extensive effects than standard care, necessitating thoughtful translation of the clinical trial findings into routine clinical practice.
200 years after James Parkinson's An Essay on the Shaking Palsy, 2017 has seen important advances that are driving a shift towards a broader and more holistic understanding of Parkinson disease aetiology and progression. This shift might finally pave the way to entirely novel and more effective prevention and management strategies.
