Aims and scope

This journal aims to review the most important, recently published treatment option advances in the field of neurology. By presenting clear, insightful, balanced contributions by international experts, the journal intends to facilitate worldwide approaches to the treatment of neurologic conditions.

We accomplish this aim by appointing international authorities to serve as Section Editors in key subject areas, such as epilepsy, headache, neurologic ophthalmology and otology, neuromuscular disorders, psychiatric manifestations of neurologic disease, and sleep disorders. Section Editors select topics for which leading experts contribute comprehensive review articles that emphasize new developments and recently published papers of major importance, highlighted by annotated reference lists. We also provide commentaries from well-known neurologists, and an international Editorial Board reviews the annual table of contents, suggests articles of special interest to their country/region, and ensures that topics are current and include emerging research.

Classification of Evidence

Next to reference numbers in the body of the paper, authors have supplied an evidence classification number so that readers can evaluate the type of evidence used to support the idea presented.

Example: “Alcohol may help essential tremor, but addiction is a possibility [2, Class III].”

This indicates that the reader should refer to reference number 2 on the reference list at the end of the article, which is considered Class III evidence by the author.

The standard definitions of classification of evidence are as follows:

Class I: Evidence provided by one or more well-designed, randomized, controlled clinical trials, including overviews (meta-analyses) of such trials.

Class II: Evidence provided by a well-designed, matched-group cohort study or by a randomized, controlled clinical trial lacking in one design criterion.

Class III: Evidence provided by other controlled trials such as those with natural history controls or patients serving as their own controls, with independent outcome assessments.

Class IV: Evidence provided by expert opinion, case series, case reports, or uncontrolled studies.

These classifications are based on those used by the American Academy of Neurology. For more detailed guidance on assigning a classification, see Appendix 9 in the AAN Clinical Practice Guideline Process Manual, 2004 Edition, available at http://www.aan.com/globals/axon/assets/2535.pdf