| Abbreviation | ANA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1875 |
| Type | Professional association |
| Purpose | Academic neurology and neuroscience |
| Headquarters | Mount Laurel, New Jersey, U.S. |
President | Dimitri Krainc, MD, PhD, FANA (2025–2027) |
President-Elect | S. Thomas Carmichael, MD, PhD, FANA (2025–2027) |
CEO | Brenda Orffer, CAE |
| Website | myana |
The American Neurological Association (ANA) is a professional society of academic neurologists and neuroscientists devoted to the advancement of neurology through education and research. Founded in 1875, it is the oldest neurological society in the United States and serves as a leading forum for the presentation and discussion of scientific work in neurology. [1] The ANA publishes the peer-reviewed journals Annals of Neurology [2] and Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology. [3] The ANA family of journals also includes the Annals of the Child Neurology Society. [4]
The ANA was founded in 1875 as the first national society devoted to the study of diseases of the nervous system in the United States. Its creation reflected the recognition of neurology as a distinct medical discipline separate from general medicine and psychiatry. Early members included William A. Hammond, James S. Jewell, Edward C. Séguin, Charles K. Mills, and James J. Putnam, who were influential in establishing the academic foundations of neurology in North America. [5]
In 1884, the association elected Sarah J. McNutt as its first woman member, a milestone that reflected the gradual entry of women into mainstream American medicine. [6]
During the 20th century, the ANA became a leading forum for the presentation of neurological research and contributed to the development of training programs for neurologists in U.S. medical schools. Its membership and programming have since expanded to reflect advances in neuroscience and the globalization of academic medicine. [7]
The official journal of the ANA is Annals of Neurology , published in partnership with Wiley. Established in 1977, the journal publishes original research articles, reviews, and editorials covering a broad spectrum of neurological science. [8]
Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, launched in 2014, is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal that publishes research articles, reviews, and clinical case studies across all areas of neurology and neuroscience. [9]
The ANA also circulates weekly newsletters and digital updates to its membership, providing information on society initiatives, career opportunities, and research highlights. In addition, it produces a monthly podcast, ANA Investigates, featuring interviews with experts on current topics in neurology and neuroscience. [10]
The ANA supports a variety of programs aimed at fostering the careers of academic neurologists and neuroscientists. These include:
The ANA hosts an annual scientific meeting, considered one of the premier venues for presenting advances in academic neurology. The meeting includes plenary sessions, symposia, workshops, and poster presentations, as well as professional development opportunities for early-career and trainee neurologists.
Named lectures and awards are presented annually, including the George W. Jacoby, the Derek Denny-Brown Young Neurological Scholar, the Raymond D. Adams, and the Audrey S. Penn awards, which recognize significant contributions to the field. [11]
The ANA is governed by an Executive Committee, which includes elected officers such as the President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. The presidency rotates bi-annually, with past presidents including leaders in both academic and clinical neuroscience. The current ANA President (2025–2027) is Dr. Dimitri Krainc. [12] A full list of past presidents of the ANA is available on the association’s website. [13]
Committees oversee areas such as education, membership, diversity and inclusion, and scientific programming. The association is headquartered in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.
The American Neurological Association is a leading professional society for academic neurology and neuroscience. The association offers several categories of membership, including: [14]
Early figures associated with the American Neurological Association included William A. Hammond, widely credited as a principal organizer of the society’s founding, and Edward C. Séguin, who served as recording secretary and treasurer at the first ANA meeting in June 1875. [15] These physicians, along with contemporaries such as James S. Jewell and Silas Weir Mitchell, were part of a cohort that helped consolidate neurology as a distinct academic discipline in the United States during the late nineteenth century. [16]
Sarah J. McNutt was elected in 1884 as the first woman member of the ANA, an event recognized in historical accounts of women’s entry into neurology and medicine. [17]
Hammond is also noted for advancing the professionalization of neurology in America; his Treatise on Diseases of the Nervous System (1871) is often described as the first comprehensive American neurology textbook, and later historical analyses emphasize his influence on the field. [18]
The ANA’s role in the maturation of American neurology is documented in historical analyses that describe the society as a premier venue for presenting neurological research and, by some accounts, the first national neurology society formed worldwide. [19]