International Neurology Conference Featured UCSF Experts

Neurology experts from UCSF Health presented new clinical research findings and cutting-edge treatment strategies and received distinguished awards recognition at the American Academy of Neurology’s (AAN) annual meeting, held April 5-9, in San Diego.

The 77th AAN Annual Meeting was the largest international meeting of neurologists and neuroscience professionals, with over 3,200 abstracts covering 25 neurology topics and specialties.

This year’s program featured clinical presentations and research findings by neurology experts from the UCSF Department of Neurology and the UCSF Weill Institute of Neurosciences.

Here were some of the highlights:

The Potamkin Prize

UCSF’s Gil D. Rabinovici, MD, FAAN and William Seeley, MD, were honored with the Potamkin Prize for Research in Pick’s, Alzheimer’s, and Related Diseases. The Potamkin Prize is the highest honor in Alzheimer’s research and recognizes premier scientific research in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Since establishing the award in 1988, Potamkin Philanthropies, in partnership with AAN and the American Brain Foundation, has bestowed millions of dollars to more than 70 researchers, paving the way toward a series of groundbreaking discoveries.

Rabinovici is the Edward and Pearl Fein Distinguished Professor in Memory and Aging in the UCSF Department of Neurology. He is an international leader in developing methods and guidelines for the use of biomarkers in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. His work has involved the early application of amyloid PET, and subsequently tau PET imaging, in the detection of neuropathology in dementia patients. He has been a leader in the development of guidelines for the use of imaging, standardizing clinical use of these scans, and application to “real world” clinical situations. His work has influenced understanding of the basic pathology of dementia and has had major impact on clinical diagnosis and decision making, selection of patients for therapeutic treatment and health policy.

Seeley is the Zander Family Distinguished Professor in Neurology at UCSF. He has been engaged in asking profoundly important questions about dementia for over 20 years. Using a variety of techniques including neuropathological examination, behavioral and cognitive neurology and neuroimaging, his work has focused on the broad problem of why certain brain regions are vulnerable to neurodegeneration in different diseases. His work has identified the importance of a specific type of brain cell, the von Economo neuron, in vulnerability to frontotemporal dementia, and has shown how different brain networks are differentially vulnerable in different neurodegenerative diseases. Through this multidisciplinary work he has had a major impact on understanding the origins and progression of these disorders.

Rabinovici and Seeley were honored at the American Brain Foundation’s Commitment to Cures gala on April 5. They also discussed the 2025 Potamkin Prize for Research in Pick's, Alzheimer's, and Related Diseases during the scientific platform session “Innovations in Non-AD Dementia.”

Live sessions

Mary Zuniga, MD, UCSF neurology resident, presented “Association Between Non-English Language Preference, Delirium Occurrence and Inpatient Outcomes” and Riley Bove, MD, FAAN, a neurologist and clinician scientist in the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, presented: “Placental and Breastmilk Transfer of Ocrelizumab from Women with Multiple Sclerosis to Infants and the Potential Impact on B-Cell Levels: Primary Analysis of the Prospective, Multicenter, Open-label, Phase IV Studies MINORE and SOPRANINO” during the Contemporary Clinical Issues Plenary Session (PL4). This session highlighted issues most critical to practicing neurologists, including abstracts related to new therapeutic developments, clinical applications of basic and translational research and innovative technical developments already affecting the practice of neurology.

Bove was also seminar director for “MS Across the Lifespan/Pregnancy and Breastfeeding in MS” (C29). She presented “Welcome and Introduction: A Lifespan Perspective” and “Beyond Pregnancy: Menopause, Gynecological Health and Healthy Aging” during the seminar, which identified the unique counseling and management needs of women during pregnancy, lactation and menopause; describes the MS disease course during pregnancy and menopause; summarized principles around drug transfer across the placenta and breastmilk; and applied best practices when caring for women during pregnancy, lactation and menopause. Bove also presented “Application of Machine Learning to Derive Key Indices of MS-related Function from Low-burden Digital Speech and Gait Tasks” during a scientific poster session.

Sasha Gupta, MD, neurologist and UCSF assistant professor of Neurology, presented “An Investigator Initiated Study of KYV-101, a CD19 CAR T Cell Therapy, in Participants with Treatment Refractory Progressive Multiple Sclerosis” (Abstract: 002) during the scientific platform session, Multiple Sclerosis: Clinical Trials (S3). Despite the success of B cell depleting therapies in suppressing disease activity in relapsing forms of MS, many patients with progressive forms of MS continue to experience worsening disability. This may be due to CNS resident B cells that are resilient to peripheral B cell depletion by anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies. CD19-targeted CAR-T cells offers the promise to deplete B cells in the peripheral immune system and within the CNS. Gupta reported on preliminary trial data about use of CD19 CAR T-cell therapy for this disease.

Julio C. Rojas, MD, PhD, neurologist and UCSF associate professor, presented “Non-pharmacological Management of Dementia” during the seminar “Cognitive, Behavioral, and Disease-modifying Therapeutics in Dementia” (C1) which focused on the indication for and clinical utility of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapeutics for dementia-related cognitive and behavioral symptoms, and the first ever disease-modifying treatments for dementia and their role in clinical practice.

Ian Bledsoe, MD, MS, a neurologist and UCSF associate professor of Clinical Neurology, was director for the movement disorders seminar “The Dystonias: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Update on Etiologies” (C4) presented “Treatment of Dystonia” and participated in questions and answers following the presentation. The session focuses on clinical features and phenomenology of dystonia; dystonia classification and differential diagnosis; the most common genetic forms of dystonia, recent genetic etiologies and basis for clinical genetic testing in dystonia; and principles of treatment of dystonia with oral medications, botulinum toxin, rehabilitation and surgical treatments including deep brain stimulation.

Gil Rabinovici, MD, FAAN, presented “Updates on Anti-amyloid Therapy” during the half-day course, “Anti-amyloid Therapy Boot Camp” (C23) and participated in questions and answers following the presentation. The session highlighted major findings from recent clinical trials of anti-amyloid monoclonal antibody therapies in Alzheimer's disease; reviewed imaging and fluid biomarkers relevant for treatment eligibility and monitoring; identified proposed clinical criteria for appropriate use of anti-amyloid therapies in clinical practice; summarized mechanisms, risk factors and safety monitoring for amyloid-related imaging abnormalities and assessed practice-level adaptations needed for emerging AD therapies.

Dawn Gano, MD, MAS, pediatric neurologist and UCSF associate professor of Neurology and Pediatrics, presented “Neonatal Brain Health Equity” during the seminar “Health Equity for Neurologists” (C19). The session reviewed a neurology residency training program initiative on neurology and health equity, including curricular design and implementation; identified emerging issues in global health and neurological diseases with a focus on lower-income country settings; recognized neonatal neurological health inequities and ways to incorporate them into the neurology and health equity agenda; and discussed and defined ways to enhance collaborative efforts on neurology health equity, including new shared actions.

Claude Hemphill III, MD, MAS, FAAN, UCSF professor of Neurology, was director for the seminar “Essentials of Diagnosis and Management of Hemorrhagic Stroke” (C61) and presented “Bundles of Care for Intracerebral Hemorrhage – Acute Care and Recovery” and “Case-based Discussions of Prognostic Decision-making” and participated in questions and answers following the presentation. The session focused on the emergency evaluation of patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage, including initial emergency evaluation and acutely administered treatments. Special attention was paid to appropriate referral for neurosurgical intervention and implementation of a bundled care approach including multiple different concurrent therapies. Case-based discussion of prognostic decision-making was also emphasized.

Aaron L. Berkowitz, MD, PhD, FAAN, UCSF professor of Clinical Neurology, directed the half-day course, “Basic Science: Neuroanatomy—All the Lesions” (C68), which included multiple presentations and question and answer sessions by Berkowitz, Alexandra Brown, MD, a neurologist and UCSF associate professor of Neurology and Mark Terrelonge, Jr., MD, MPH, neurologist and UCSF assistant professor of Neurology and Neuromuscular Medicine. There were discussions of neuroanatomical structures and pathways relevant to clinical localization, including those of the central nervous system (corticospinal tracts, dorsal columns, spinothalamic tracts, visual pathways, cortical regions and vascular territories, brainstem/cranial nerves and cerebellum) and peripheral nervous system (plexuses, nerve roots and peripheral nerves) and strategies to reason through clinical cases to determine the most likely localization.

Maria Luisa Gorno Tempini, MD, PhD, neurologist and director of the Language Neurobiology laboratory of the UCSF Memory and Aging Center, presented “Primary Progressive Aphasia” and Julio C. Rojas, MD, PhD, presented “Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Corticobasal Syndrome” during the seminar “Frontotemporal Dementia” (C73). The session reviewed the key clinical, genetic and neuropathological aspects of frontotemporal dementia spectrum disorders (behavioral-variant FTD, primary progressive aphasia, corticobasal syndrome and progressive supranucelar palsy syndrome), as well as the current and future management/treatment considerations for those with frontotemporal dementia spectrum disorders.

Kwame Adjepong, MD, neurologist and UCSF assistant professor, presented a case-based presentation during the seminar “Neuro-palliative Care: Maximizing Quality of Life in Serious Neurological Illness” (C84) and participated in questions and answers following the presentation. The session reviewed the applicability of palliative care concurrent with neurological care across the illness trajectory, recognizing and eliciting value-based goals, needs and concerns of people living with serious neurological illness and their caregivers through high-quality person-centered communication. It also stressed the need to collaborate with patients and caregivers to formulate goal-concordant symptom management and supportive care plans.

Rachel Vassar, MD, pediatric neurologist and UCSF assistant professor of Clinical Neurology, presented “Beyond Anticoagulation: Exploring Other Strategies in Pediatric CSVT” during the seminar “Challenging Clinical Cases in Pediatric Neurocritical Care: Diagnosis, Management, and Prognostication” (C97). The session reviewed two scenarios in pediatric neurocritical care that have received significant attention over the last few years: the management of cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (CSVT) including the role of anticoagulation and thrombectomy, and the utility of rapid genetic testing in critically ill children with neurological disease.

Nicole Rosendale, MD, neuro-hospitalist and UCSF associate professor, presented “Empowering Trainees, Neurologists and Researchers to Lead in Addressing Health Care Disparities Using Value-based Methods,” and participated in panel discussion and provided closing remarks during the seminar “Strategies for Addressing Health Care Disparities Using Value-based Methods” (C89). The session reviewed the fundamental concepts, theories and practical examples of value-based healthcare, focusing on condition-centered care and aligning payment incentives to improve patient outcomes. It identified and addressed biases in neurological care using AI tools, analyzed barriers to equitable care, and proposed strategies to correct disparities.

Bruce Cree, MD, PhD, MAS, FAAN, neurologist and clinical research director of the UCSF Multiple Sclerosis Center, presented “NMOSD: Therapeutics Update and Case Management” and participated in a question and answer session “Serodiagnosis and Biomarkers in NMOSD” during the seminar “Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders” (C129). The seminar elaborated the diagnostic criteria for NMOSD, described current and future diagnostic assays for aquaporin-4 autoantibodies (AQP4-IgG), reviewed the clinical implications of AQP4-IgG seroreversion and seroconversion, formulated acute and preventative approaches for the care of NMOSD patients and critically assessed the potential role of biomarkers in the diagnosis and management on NMOSD. Cree also presented “Whole Brain, Cortical Grey Matter, and Thalamic Volume Changes During 5–7 Years of Ozanimod in Relapsing MS: Final Results from the DAYBREAK Open-label Extension Study” during scientific poster session 3.

H E Hinson, MD, MCR, FAAN, UCSF professor of Clinical Neurology, is director for the Neuroscience in the clinic session, “Neuroscience in the Clinic: Surgical Treatment of Intracerebral Hemorrhage” (N3), providing introduction, discussion and closing remarks for the session focusing on the latest, emerging evidence for the surgical management of non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), including classifying the pathophysiology, patterns of hemorrhage as well as surgical approaches for these different subtypes of ICH. Hinson was also director of the Clinical Trials Plenary Session (PL5) covering landmark clinical trials that affect patient care in every subspecialty of neurology. Investigators presented the latest clinical trials results that are impacting the landscape of neurologic care.

Felicia Chow, MD, neurologist and UCSF associate professor of Neurology, presented “Diagnostic Challenges and Treatment Updates in CNS Tuberculosis and Other Bacterial Infections” during the seminar “Diagnosed a Patient with a Neuroinfectious Disease: Now What?” (C138). The session focused on the use of and limitations to PCR and antibody testing when planning treatment for neurotropic viral infections; reviewed recent data on the efficacy of immunomodulatory therapies for CNS viral infections; reviewed strengths and limitations of CNS tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic testing; and looked at global treatment updates for CNS TB and the challenges in distinguishing and treating neurocysticercosis and CNS immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. Chow also presented “Differential Diagnosis of Brain Abscesses” during the seminar “Differential Diagnosis of Neurological Infections” (C173). The goal of the session was for participants to improve their ability to form a more precise differential diagnosis of possible neurological infections and recognize specific laboratory tests and imaging findings that can guide the differential diagnosis accordingly.

Stephen L. Hauser, MD, neurologist, immunologist and director of the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences presented “Neuroimmunology” during the research hub session “NIH Day” (H166). The session recognized the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s 75th Anniversary with appearances by NINDS staff, and subspecialty experts presented on the most recent initiatives and data.

Adam L. Boxer, MD, PhD, the Endowed Professor in Memory and Aging in the UCSF Department of Neurology, presented “Clinical Development of Tau-targeting Therapies for Neurodegenerative Disease” during the “Neuroscience in the Clinic session: Time for Tau: Developments in Biomarkers and Therapeutic Trials” (N4). The session reviewed recent advances in neuroimaging and fluid (blood and cerebrospinal fluid) biomarkers relevant for assessing tau pathology in neurodegenerative disease, as well extant clinical trial approaches targeting tau pathology for disease modification in Alzheimer's and related disorders.

Jennie Taylor, MD, neuro-oncologist and UCSF associate professor of Clinical Neurology, was director for the seminar “Core Principles of Brain Tumors” (C152). She presented “Pathology 101: What All Neurologists Need to Know” and “Update in Management of mIDH Gliomas,” which examined current management of patients with adult gliomas and differential diagnosis updates on tumor classification principles of neurologic and oncologic management and approaches to supportive and palliative care. Clinical trials and recent breakthroughs in the field were also covered.

Vikram Rao, MD, PhD, neurologist, epilepsy specialist and UCSF associate professor of Clinical Neurology, is director for the seminar “Epilepsy: Surgery and Neuromodulation” (C162) and presented “Surgery vs. Neuromodulation: Decision-making in Drug-resistant Epilepsy” and “Putting It All Together for Personalized Epilepsy Treatment,” which identified and described diverse treatment options for drug-resistant epilepsy, including resective and ablative surgery and neuromodulation devices, and reviewed evidence supporting the efficacy of these therapies, comparing and contrasting their intrinsic characteristics. The session also reviewed how to formulate personalized treatment plans that relate to patient-specific factors and help achieve optimal clinical outcomes.

Jill Ostrem, MD, FAAN, neurologist and medical director and division chief of the UCSF Movement Disorders and Neuromodulation Center, presented “Patient Selection for Deep Brain Stimulation” during the seminar “Deep Brain Stimulation” (C163). She also participated in audience discussion and participation. This program was designed to enhance knowledge and comprehension of deep brain stimulation patient selection, programming and emerging uses. The information in the program was designed to be immediately applicable to practicing neurologists and health care professionals, and assist practitioners in making decisions in real-life management of deep brain stimulation.

S. Andrew Josephson, MD, FAAN, neurologist and chair of the UCSF Department of Neurology, was director of the seminar “Clinical Pearls: Learning from Complex Cases Simple Lessons that Apply to Everyday Problems” (C179). Josephson and Mark Terrelonge, Jr., MD, MPH, neurologist and UCSF assistant professor of Neurology and Neuromuscular Medicine, presented cases designed to enhance and enrich the ability of participants to make effective and correct clinical diagnoses using bedside clinical observations and improve patient outcomes.

Katie Grouse, MD, FAAN, neurologist and UCSF associate professor of Neurology, was director of the practice and policy session “Leveraging the EHR to Improve Patient Care” (H215). When leveraged fully, the electronic health record can be a powerful tool to facilitate a deeper understanding of health care disparities in neurological care, which in turn will help drive targeted interventions that will hopefully result in more equitable, higher quality, patient-centered neurological health care. This session introduced the AAN’s Toolkit for Improving the Accuracy and Completeness of Race and Ethnicity Data Collected in Your Practice and discussed EHR functionality and associated workflows that can be used to support optimized data collection.

Julio C. Rojas, MD, PhD presented “The Use of Biomarkers for the Diagnosis and Staging of Alzheimer’s Disease” during the seminar “Alzheimer's Disease” (C194) and participated in a question and answer session. The session reviewed the concept of Alzheimer’s as a clinicopathologic entity and approaches to detect Alzheimer’s early in the disease continuum; the range of biomarker breakthroughs to detect  Alzheimer’s, including blood base, CSF and neuroimaging biomarkers, and the role of these tools in research and clinical practice; the importance of integrating clinical assessment and biomarkers to obtain an early diagnosis; the clinical heterogeneity in  Alzheimer’s; the most recent therapeutic advances and emerging therapies for Alzheimer’s; and the Appropriate Use Recommendations for monoclonal antibodies and its implementation in clinical practice.

UCSF poster abstracts

Potential Risk of Diabetic Lumbosacral Radiculoplexus Neuropathy (DLSRPN) in Association with Glucagon-like-Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Analog: A Case Series View Abstract

Higher Circulating Levels of Short-chain Fatty Acids are Associated with Good Neurologic Outcome After Cardiac Arrest: A Pilot Study View Abstract

Greater Durations at High Mean Arterial Pressure Predicts Better Neurologic Outcomes in Post Arrest Patients View Abstract

Globus Pallidus Interna Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s Disease: Impact on REM Sleep Behavior Disorder View Abstract

Association of Serum Vitamin B12 with LRRK2 Urinary Exosomal Markers in Early Parkinson’s Disease View Abstract

SB12, Biosimilar To Eculizumab (Complement 5 Inhibitor) For Generalized Myasthenia Gravis View Abstract

Is Myelin Detrimental for Axons in Autoimmune Demyelination? View Abstract

Emergency Department Visit for Fall and the Future Risk of Status Epilepticus View Abstract

Acute Ischemic Stroke Incidence and Characteristics After Cardiac Arrest View Abstract

Predicting Neurological Recovery from Coma Post-cardiac Arrest Using Natural Language Processing View Abstract

Left-sided Ventral Occipito-temporal Hypoactivity in PPA with History of Language-based Learning Disabilities View Abstract

Changes in Head Pulse and Cranial Accelerometry Signals in Patients Undergoing Systemic Fluid Shifts View Abstract

The Magnitude of the Headpulse Biometric Signal Appears Mostly Independent of Intracranial Pressure and Systemic Blood Pressure View Abstract

A Dynamic Neurological Exam is Associated with Markers of Cerebral Edema After Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) View Abstract

Real-World Use of Alpha-Synuclein Seeding Amplification Assay in a Behavioral Neurology Clinic View Abstract

Five Years of Ublituximab in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis: Additional Results from Open-label Extension of ULTIMATE I and II Studies View Abstract

Adherence to Biologic Therapies Among Patients with Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD) in the United States View Abstract

Comparing Delirium Characteristics and Functional Outcomes in Older Adults: A Matched Study of Acute Hip Fracture vs. Non-Surgical Medical Patients View Abstract