In 2015, when I became editor in chief of what was then called Neurology Now, the publication for patients and caregivers from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), I pledged to keep you informed about cutting-edge research and breakthroughs. The past 10 years have ushered in some remarkable developments in both diagnosis and treatment, and our magazine has been filled with stories dedicated to those exciting achievements.

My first issue included a story about a promising trial for an Alzheimer's disease drug. Although the study failed, three drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have since been released to treat symptoms of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. In the field of migraine, two types of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors—monoclonal antibodies and CGRP receptor antagonists—now offer additional options for treating and preventing this headache disorder. We've also seen improvements in treating stroke, especially if the patient recognizes the signs and arrives at the hospital quickly.

A year into my tenure, gene therapy was approved by the FDA for children with spinal muscular atrophy, producing life-altering results for infants diagnosed with the condition. Other extraordinary gene therapies have followed, including one for Duchenne muscular dystrophy just last year. While there have been many advances, medical costs have grown enormously. Many of the new medications are exorbitantly expensive, including one of those gene therapy drugs, which costs more than $3 million for a one-time treatment.

One way to sidestep this growing cost crisis is by preventing disease. For this reason, our stories strive to motivate people to make lifestyle changes, such as modifying their diets and finding new ways to exercise. We also provide a variety of resources to ensure wellness of both body and spirit. Toward that end, I introduced brain health to this magazine, a commitment that inspired a new title, Brain & Life, in 2018. The AAN also has embraced this sentiment, adding “Brain Health for All” to its mission statement.

A key component of our success has been you, the reader. Your experiences, advice, and support have helped us build an unparalleled community. Your voices have impressed upon us the benefits of connection, the importance of advocacy, the compassion in caregiving—and the power of resilience, as demonstrated by this issue's cover subject, Dan Jacobs, a Top Chef finalist who has Kennedy's disease.

Brain & Life is guided by an advisory board of experts in the subspecialty fields of neurology, who ensure the timeliness and accuracy of our articles and meet regularly to suggest new stories. This group makes our magazine unique among consumer health publications, since it is informed by dedicated professionals who care for patients daily.

I am delighted to leave you in the capable hands of Sarah Song, MD, MPH, FAAN, who has served as one of those advisory board experts since 2015 and as my associate editor since 2022. An associate professor at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Dr. Song is an expert in stroke and has tremendous experience in patient advocacy and community service. I am excited to see what the upcoming issues bring under her leadership.

I offer my gratitude for 10 years of wonderful readers and the hardworking team at Brain & Life.

Orly Avitzur, MD, MBA, FAAN, Editor in Chief

A Decade by the Numbers

• 9 Books added to the Brain & Life Book Series
• 20 Awards for editorial excellence
• 27 Issues of Brain & Life en Espanol
• 20,915 Instagram followers
• 40,730 X followers
• 111,505 Facebook followers
• 330,000 Downloads of the Brain & Life podcast
• 2,000,000 Annual visitors to BrainandLife.org