Document Download: World Neurology - September-October 2025

Published by Ascend Integrated Media LLC, Kansas, USA

From the editors

Steven L. Lewis, MD, Editor, and Walter Struhal, MD, Co-Editor

We'd like to welcome all readers worldwide to the October 2025 issue of World Neurology.

In this issue, World Federation of Neurology (WFN) President Prof. Wolfgang Grisold updates readers on many important WFN activities, including the successful conclusion of the World Congress of Neurology (WCN) in Seoul, South Korea, and the recent voting results from the Council of Delegates.

This issue includes reports from the recent World Brain Day in July 2025 with the theme of "Brain Health for All Ages." The colorfully illustrated articles include WBD reports from member societies in Brazil, regions of Sri Lanka, and Türkiye.

In this issue's history column, Dr. Peter J. Koehler delves into the historical and international collaborative aspects of the infections of diphtheria, tetanus, and poliomyelitis, which affect the nervous system. He also explores the development of their vaccines.

This issue also features heartfelt obituaries of two giants of international neurology who recently passed away: Dr. Robert B. Daroff and Dr. Peter J. Dyck.

Whether you attended October's WCN or not, be sure to see this issue's photo pages that highlight many of the activities at the congress. There will be more reports to come about this remarkable WCN in the next issue!

In closing, we again thank all neurologists and neurologic trainee readers in all regions of the world for your interest in the WFN and World Neurology. ■

Highlights

President's Column

• World Congress of Neurology 2025 Caps a Busy Year ⧉
  By Wolfgang Grisold

  This issue provides the results of the election at October's Council of Delegates, which was held at the World Congress of Neurology (WCN) in Seoul, South Korea. All candidates were approved by the WFN Nomination Committee. The election was supervised by two ad hoc appointed overseers: Prof. Carlayne Jackson, past president and current board member of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), and Prof. Richard Stark, past treasurer and trustee of the WFN. Approximately 75% of World Federation of Neurology (WFN) member societies took part in the electronic voting.

World Brain Day 2025

• World Brain Day 2025 in Sri Lanka ⧉
  By Dr. Ruchira Palliyaguruge, Dr. Ajantha Keshavaraj, and Dr. Jeewana Leelarathne

  World Brain Day 2025 was a proud and transformative moment for Sri Lanka. Under the leadership of the Association of Sri Lankan Neurologists (ASN), in partnership with the World Federation of Neurology (WFN), we delivered a comprehensive, inclusive, and culturally sensitive campaign that made "Brain Health for All Ages" a household message across our island nation of 23 million people.

• World Brain Day 2025 in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka⧉
  By Dr. Ruchira Palliyaguruge, Dr. Ajantha Keshavaraj, and Dr. Jeewana Leelarathne

  The auditorium of Teaching Hospital Batticaloa in Sri Lanka became a vibrant platform for unified brain health advocacy as health care professionals and community members gathered to commemorate World Brain Day (WBD) 2025 under the global theme of "Brain Health for All Ages."
  Jointly organized by the Association of Sri Lankan Neurologists (ASN) and the Batticaloa Medical Association, the event marked a significant milestone in Sri Lanka's commitment to equitable neurological care.

• World Brain Day 2025 in Hambantota, Sri Lanka⧉
  By Dr. Ruchira Palliyaguruge, Dr. Ajantha Keshavaraj, and Dr. Jeewana Leelarathne

  World Brain Day 2025 in Hambantota, Sri Lanka, featured an innovative and impactful set of events that brought brain health awareness directly to the community — especially children and public sector professionals.
  For the first time in Sri Lanka, a school-based brain health camp and art competition were conducted in conjunction with the Association of Sri Lankan Neurologists (ASN) and the World Federation of Neurology (WFN), making this year's celebration both unique and historic.

• World Brain Day 2025 in Jaffna, Sri Lanka⧉
  By Dr. Ajantha Keshavaraj

  World Brain Day was celebrated with a major public health campaign in Sri Lanka's Northern Province for the first time, marking a watershed moment in national efforts to promote "Brain Health for All Ages."
  The event, hosted on May 25, 2025, in Jaffna, was organized by the Association of Sri Lankan Neurologists (ASN) in partnership with the Northern Stroke Awareness Campaign. Activities were closely aligned with the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) and the World Health Organization (WHO) Intersectoral Global Action Plan (IGAP) for neurological disorders.

• World Brain Day 2025 in Türkiye⧉
  By Prof. Füsun Mayda Domaç

  To mark World Brain Day 2025, the Turkish Neurological Society (TNS), in collaboration with the World Federation of Neurology (WFN), organized a series of meaningful events across Türkiye under this year's global theme of "Brain Health for All Ages."
  These efforts reflect our unwavering commitment to raise awareness of brain health among health care professionals and the wider public.

• World Brain Day 2025 in Piauí, Brazil⧉
  By Natalia Rebeca Alves de Karpejany, Pedro Borges Bonfim Jr., Ademir Aragão Moura, Martha Maria da Silva Lira Batista, Denise Falcão Costa Coelho, Tâmara Larissa Silva Barbosa, Isis Maria Lima da Cruz, Artur Guilherme Feitosa Ferreira, Rafael Armando Coutinho Aguiar, and Yasmin Vitória Luz Alves

  World Brain Day, observed globally on July 22, is dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of brain health and mental well-being at every stage of life. This year, at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Piauí in Brazil, we celebrated the day with a vibrant and inclusive event focused on adults and older individuals. Our goal was to empower our community with simple, practical strategies.

History

• Three neuroinfections and vaccinations ⧉
  By Peter J. Koehler

  A few months after the birth of my grandfather in March 1884, two of his sisters died within 10 days of each other at ages 2 and 3. If we look at the child mortality statistics of that year in the Netherlands, we see that diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles, "other diseases of the respiratory organs," and "diseases of the digestive organs" were among the major killers of children, especially in the age group of 1 to 4 years. It was a time in which knowledge about bacteria was increasing through the work of Robert Koch (1843–1910) and his colleagues. Louis Pasteur (1822–1895) was experimenting with vaccinations with weakened microorganisms. Antibiotics were not yet available. In current times of declining vaccination rates in developed countries, it is useful to revisit the history of some infections that also affect the nervous system.

In memoriam

• Prof. Robert Barry Daroff (1936-2025)⧉
  By Prof. Vladimir Hachinski and Prof. Raad Shakir

  Prof. Robert Daroff's gifts showed up early in his life. He was admitted to the University of Chicago at the age of 15 and then transferred to the University of Pennsylvania, where he obtained a degree in American studies and a medical degree. He completed a residency in neurology at Yale University. I first heard about him when I was a trainee in neurology, and he was part of a small group of gifted neuro-ophthalmologists at the University of Miami. Early in my career, I was elected to the Board of the American Neurological Association when he was president. At the first meeting, I was amazed that from a long list of candidates, so few were selected for membership. It made me wonder whether the committee was tired when they elected me for membership, given the high standards.

• Peter James Dyck (1927-2025)⧉
  By Dr. P. James B. Dyck, Dr. Michelle Mauermann, and Dr. William Litchy

  Peter James Dyck, professor emeritus of neurology, died on July 26, 2025, at the age of 97. Dr. Dyck was a brilliant neurologist and a cherished colleague, mentor, and friend. Dr. Dyck was born in 1927 in South Caucasus, Russia, and emigrated to Canada with his family as a young child. He received his bachelor's degree in 1950 from the University of Saskatchewan and his medical degree in 1955 from the University of Toronto. After internal medicine training at the University of Toronto and neurology and neuropathology training at University Hospital in Saskatoon, Canada, he pursued his fellowship in neurology at the Mayo Clinic in 1959. He was appointed to the staff of the Mayo Clinic on July 1, 1961, and became full professor in neurology in 1973.