Why you should attend NeuroImmunology and Beyond Series #24: AutoImmune Neuropathies by Perry Shieh, MD, PhD, FAAN The neuroimmunology of autoimmune neuropathies involves the immune system attacking components of the peripheral nervous system, such as myelin, axons, or nerve cell bodies. This attack can be antibody-mediated, involving antibodies against nodal proteins like neurofascin, or T-cell-mediated. The result is damage to nerve cells, leading to a range of symptoms and conditions, from demyelinating diseases like Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) to acute conditions like Guillaume-Barre Syndrome (GBS). Dr. Shieh who is a Neuromuscular expert at UCLA will help you comprehend the emerging world of autoimmune disease affecting the peripheral nervous system. Find Dr. Shieh's speaker bio and more here: https://www.caneurologysociety.org/conferences/fall-2025-speakers (fb)

Why you should attend NeuroImmunology and Beyond Series #23​​​​​​​ Did you know that four different physicians were awarded the Nobel Prize for their work in Pernicious Anemia/Vitamin B12 Deficiency in the past including Dorothy Hodgkin, the only British female physician to receive such an honor? Did you know that Vitamin B12 is the most complex vitamin in nature? Dr. George Sarka as a Multispecialist and Medical/Public Health Historian will guide you through the corridors of neuroimmunological time from the beginning of the terminology for pernicious anemia to its now autoimmune nature fitting well within neuroimmunological focus of this conference. The neuroimmunology of pernicious anemia stems from an autoimmune response where the body attacks its own parietal cells or intrinsic factor, leading to vitamin B12 deficiency. This deficiency causes neurological issues like peripheral neuropathy (numbness, tingling), subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord (ataxia, weakness), and psychiatric problems (depression, memory loss, confusion). The core neuroimmunological mechanism is that the autoimmune attack disrupts the absorption of vitamin B12, which is crucial for the health of the nervous system. Even today, a new autoimmune syndrome involving Anti-CD320 auto antibodies has been discovered leading to another cause of vitamin B12 deficiency. This lecture is a must for all physicians as well as the non-physicians who have an interest or passion for medical history. Find Dr. Sarka's speaker bio and more here: https://www.caneurologysociety.org/conferences/fall-2025-speakers (fb)