Opening & Introduction
Friday, 25 September 2026 | 13:30 – 14:00
The conference opens with a welcome address by the Organizing Committee, followed by the Opening Keynote delivered by Prof. Jelena Drulovic. This session sets the stage for three days of scientific exchange focused on neurodegeneration and brain health across the Balkans and beyond.
Session 1: Early and Prodromal Parkinson’s Disease
Friday, 25 September 2026 | 14:00 – 15:10
This session explores the early and prodromal stages of Parkinson’s disease, covering molecular pathology and recent clinical advances, the differential diagnosis of parkinsonism, and the unique therapeutic considerations in young-onset Parkinson’s disease. The session closes with an open Questions & Answers segment.
Session 2: Advanced and Device-Aided Therapies in Parkinson’s Disease
Friday, 25 September 2026 | 15:30 – 17:00
Focusing on therapeutic innovation, this session reviews the current landscape of infusion therapies, the principles and long-term outcomes of deep brain stimulation, and the next frontier in Parkinson’s interventions including AI-driven adaptive neuromodulation. The session also addresses impulse control disorders and their clinical management in Parkinson’s disease.
Session 3: Parkinson’s Disease — 10 Clinical Questions Through the Lens of Real-World Cases
Friday, 25 September 2026 | 17:00 – 18:00
An interactive panel session in which chairs and panelists from Turkey, Bulgaria, and Serbia engage with carefully selected clinical questions and video cases drawn from real-world practice. This format is designed to foster practical, cross-border discussion on challenging aspects of Parkinson’s disease management.
Abstract Sessions: Oral and Poster Presentations
Friday, 25 September 2026 | 18:00 – 19:00
Parallel oral and poster presentation sessions provide an opportunity for researchers and clinicians to share their latest findings across the full spectrum of neurodegeneration and brain health. Presentations are held in two halls simultaneously.
Breakfast with the Professors
Saturday, 26 September 2026 | 08:30 – 09:20
An informal small-group session held in the breakfast hall, bringing together senior professors from Turkey, Bulgaria, and Serbia with specialists and residents at four round tables. This setting encourages open dialogue, mentorship, and cross-border exchange between established and early-career neurologists.
Session 4: Redefining Alzheimer’s Disease — From Biology to Clinical Practice
Saturday, 26 September 2026 | 09:30 – 10:40
This session revisits the conceptual framework of Alzheimer’s disease, examining whether it is best understood as a clinical syndrome or a biological entity. Speakers address the rapidly evolving field of blood-based biomarkers and present an overview of novel and emerging treatment approaches for Alzheimer’s disease.
Session 5: Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease — From Risk Reduction to Early Intervention
Saturday, 26 September 2026 | 10:40 – 11:50
Prevention takes centre stage in this session, with presentations on lifestyle and pharmacological approaches to Alzheimer’s disease prevention, the role of nutrition and malnutrition in neurodegenerative disorders, and the growing application of artificial intelligence in early detection and treatment monitoring.
Session 6: Alzheimer’s Disease — 10 Clinical Questions Through the Lens of Real-World Cases
Saturday, 26 September 2026 | 12:10 – 13:00
In a format mirroring Session 3, an international panel of clinicians addresses ten carefully chosen clinical questions and video cases in Alzheimer’s disease, with participants from Turkey, Bulgaria, and Serbia contributing diverse perspectives on diagnosis and management in everyday clinical settings.
Session 7: Brain Health in Multiple Sclerosis — From Care Models to Long-Term Outcomes
Saturday, 26 September 2026 | 14:30 – 15:40
This session examines how the concept of brain health is shaping the long-term management of multiple sclerosis. Topics include the importance of dedicated MS units within neurology departments, the phenomenon of progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) as a silent driver of neurodegeneration, and how evolving immunological understanding has transformed current treatment strategies.
Session 8: Preventing Neurodegeneration in MS — Clinical Decisions in the High-Efficacy Era
Saturday, 26 September 2026 | 15:40 – 16:50
With high-efficacy therapies now established in MS care, this session addresses the neurodegenerative mechanisms underlying immune-mediated CNS disorders, the specific challenges of pediatric-onset and late-onset MS, and the complex decisions around treatment escalation, switching, de-escalation, and discontinuation in the context of long-term brain health preservation.
Session 9: Multiple Sclerosis — 10 Questions That Will Shape the Next Decade
Saturday, 26 September 2026 | 17:10 – 18:00
A forward-looking panel discussion in which chairs and panelists from across the region tackle ten questions at the cutting edge of MS research and clinical practice. Drawing on diverse national perspectives, the session aims to identify the key uncertainties and opportunities that will define the field in the years ahead.
Abstract Sessions: Oral and Poster Presentations
Sunday, 27 September 2026 | 09:00 – 10:00
A second round of abstract presentations provides additional opportunities for researchers to present original work and engage with peers across the conference’s scientific themes.
Session 10: Autoimmune Demyelinating Diseases — Biomarkers, Disability Prevention and Precision Therapies
Sunday, 27 September 2026 | 10:00 – 11:30
This session focuses on the evolving spectrum of autoimmune demyelinating diseases, with dedicated presentations on distinguishing NMOSD from MOGAD through clinical phenotypes and biomarkers, precision treatment approaches in NMOSD, vaccination strategies in patients on targeted immunotherapies, and the role of intravenous immunoglobulin in the current therapeutic landscape.
Session 11: Motor Neuron Diseases — From Genetics to Disease Modification
Sunday, 27 September 2026 | 11:40 – 13:00
The final scientific session of the conference addresses motor neuron diseases, covering the genetics of ALS and its implications for precision medicine, the real-world experience of ALS therapies in 2026, and the long-term outcomes of SMA in the treatment era. A moderated expert discussion allows panelists to reflect on remaining challenges and future directions in this rapidly evolving field.
Closing Remarks & Future Collaborations
Sunday, 27 September 2026 | 13:00 – 13:20
The conference concludes with closing remarks from the Organizing Committee, reflecting on the scientific highlights of the meeting and looking ahead to future collaborative opportunities across the region.