Press and Media
View the latest AANEM Achievement Award winners, the American Neuromuscular Foundation (ANF) Abstract Award winners, and the latest AANEM news articles on News Express.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When will be content of abstracts be viewable, as opposed to just the titles?
A: The abstract content will be available at the annual meeting during the Poster Hall hours. We do not provide abstract presenter information or slides ahead of time. All available information can be found in the AANEM Abstract Guide online when it becomes available.
Q: How do I reach out to abstract or session presenters for an interview?
A: We do not offer member contact information. To connect with abstract or session presenters, review the AANEM Annual Meeting Program when available. Find the topics of interest and connect with the presenter after their lecture or during their abstract poster session time. Currently there is no interview option for virtual attendees.
Q: When can I share information?
A: The embargo on the abstracts themselves is lifted when they have been published in Muscle & Nerve and online in the AANEM Abstract Guide. However, the additional information beyond what is in the abstract itself is still embargoed.
AANEM requires information that goes beyond that which is contained within the abstract, e.g., the release of data not included in the abstract, discussion of the abstract done as part of a scientific presentation, etc. to be embargoed until the start of the annual meeting. Please see the Abstract Embargo Policy.
Q: Will the Abstract Award Reception feature the best posters?
A: The Abstract Award Reception is a social hour in honor of the abstract award winners where all authors, including award winners, will be available to discuss research.
Q: Original research is ONLY presented as posters, correct?
A: Yes - the research is presented in the Poster Hall via abstract posters.
Science News: Fatigue: A Common but Poorly Understood Symptom in Neurological and Non-neurological Diseases
Submitted by: Christine Meadows, MD
Edited by: Rebecca O'Bryan, MD
Citation: Penner IK, Grothe M, Chan A. Fatigue: a common but poorly understood symptom in neurological and non-neurological diseases. Nat Rev Neurol. 2025;21(12):706-720. doi:10.1038/s41582-025-01153-z
Summary:
This article proposes a novel approach to addressing fatigue in neurological and non-neurological diseases. Three categories are proposed based on origin: neurogenic (from the central nervous system), myogenic (from muscle or neuromuscular junction weakness), and systemic (from immune-mediated, inflammatory, or other systemic processes).
Each cluster comprises five distinct concepts describing phenotypic expression of fatigue. The authors emphasize that fatigue results from complex interactions between genetics, epigenetics, immunological changes, structural and functional brain abnormalities, and behavioral alterations, with mechanisms varying between diseases and over time. There is still a lack of a unified definition and understanding of fatigue.
The proposed taxonomy directly addresses a fundamental challenge in neuromuscular practice: distinguishing peripheral fatigue (muscle fatigability from neuromuscular junction or muscle pathology) from central fatigue (subjective sense of exhaustion perceived at the CNS level). In myasthenia gravis, for example, patients experience both peripheral fatigability from acetylcholine receptor dysfunction and central fatigue that persists even in remission (10% of patients with resolved symptoms still have central fatigue). The article's framework helps clinicians systematically evaluate whether fatigue originates from myogenic mechanisms (the "myogenic cluster"), neurogenic mechanisms affecting central motor drive, or systemic factors like inflammation.
Comments:
Fatigue affects approximately 60% of patients diagnosed with neuromuscular disorders and is often underrecognized. Patients suffering from severe fatigue have significantly decreased quality of life. Socioeconomic consequences are far-reaching. The article's integrative model has direct therapeutic implications. While treating the underlying neuromuscular disease is the first step, when fatigue persists, non-pharmacological interventions such as exercise programs, cognitive behavioral therapy, and treatment of comorbid conditions (depression, sleep disorders) are essential.