AAN 2022 | An overview of the developments in ALS research

Matthew Kiernan, MBBS, PhD, DSc, FRACP, FAHMS, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia, received the Sheila Essey award from the AAN for his significant research contributions in the search the cause, prevention, and care of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Prof. Kiernan summarized recent developments in ALS that have fueled progress in the field and are shaping research trajectories. One such development includes a general awareness of ALS, thanks to the ice bucket challenge, as well as the involvement of industry and philanthropy. In his own work, Prof. Kiernan is interested in understanding how the brain functions in ALS patients, specifically how the hyperexcitability of motor neurons spreads through the nervous system to cause ALS. This interview took place at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 2022 Congress in Seattle, WA.