Jan 2, 2025
Insights into dyskinesia and motor learning at SfN Annual Meeting
Broad perspectives at the world’s largest neuroscience meeting
The Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience brought together an international neuroscience community on an exceptional scale. With around 25,000 participants, the conference offered a uniquely broad scientific program, ensuring that even highly specialized research areas were represented.
For ReTune researcher Dr. Jeroen Habets, the meeting proved to be both inspiring and highly educational. “Because of its size, there is something relevant for every niche,” he noted. The diversity of topics and approaches enabled deep engagement with his own research focus while also providing exposure to adjacent fields.
New impulses for dyskinesia research
A central focus of Habets’ conference experience was levodopa induced dyskinesia. Across multiple sessions, he encountered a wide range of experimental, preclinical, and clinical studies addressing dyskinesia from complementary angles. These included novel disease models, mechanistic insights, and translational strategies aimed at improving treatment options for patients with Parkinson’s disease.
The meeting also facilitated valuable scientific exchange. Habets established new research contacts, particularly with scientists working on dyskinesia related questions, opening perspectives for future collaboration and cross fertilization of ideas.
Adaptive neuromodulation and motor learning
Beyond dyskinesia, several presentations addressed adaptive deep brain stimulation with a focus on both motor and non motor symptoms. These approaches align closely with ReTune’s overarching goal of retuning dysfunctional motor networks through personalized neuromodulation strategies.
Another highlight was the discussion of emerging theories on how movements are practiced and learned. New concepts in motor learning provided fresh theoretical frameworks that may influence how motor symptoms and their treatment are understood in the future.
Overall, the Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience offered an intensive and stimulating environment that combined scientific depth with breadth. For ReTune, such exchanges are essential to connect mechanistic insights with clinical innovation and to refine strategies for treating movement disorders.
© Picture: Society for Neuroscience
