Welcome to the first issue of ACNR in 2003 and thank you for all the feedback that you have provided, ensuring that we continue to deliver a clinically and scientifically relevant journal. In this issue we have a new type of article – a response from Marios Hadjivassiliou to the article we published
on the neurological complications of coeliac disease by Connie Tengah and Adrian Wills. This exchange of views highlights not only how contentious these topics can be but also shows the relevance and appeal of the journal. So do keep those comments coming in, as they really do make a difference.

In this edition we also have an update on sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), a situation which every neurologist will sadly encounter at some point in their career. Such cases often lead to intense soul-searching to try and identify how it could have been avoided.This article by Langan and Nashef clearly sets out the pathogenic theories and the unpredictable nature of this condition and that close observation is really the only way of reducing its incidence in patients with ongoing ictal activity.

We also continue our series on surgery for Movement Disorders with a useful
update on the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD) by Yianni and Aziz.This
article not only summarises the history of neurosurgery in PD, but also gives a balanced account of their efficacy and side effects.

We also have a new author of a series of articles on peripheral nerves, Brian
McNamara. Brian has recently moved back to Ireland to take up a consultant post in neurophysiology, having survived a neurophysiological and neurological training in Cambridge. Brian takes a straightforward approach to peripheral nerve disorders and begins with the median nerve and carpal tunnel syndrome. These articles set out the course and lesions of peripheral nerves in an easily digestible and memorable fashion, and over the next few issues this will be developed with other nerves.

We continue with the excellent series of articles by Wojtek Rakowicz. This
time it is the turn of congenital myopathies and muscular dystrophies to be
reviewed, and as with all his articles, it is elegantly written and illustrated and highlights not only their presentation in childhood but in adults as well.

Finally the rehabilitation article tackles obstructive sleep apnoea and stroke,
and we are very privileged to have Professor Neil Douglas write this article for us. Obstructive sleep apnoea is an increasingly recognised condition, which can present to any number of specialities but especially neurologists. Thus recognising and treating this condition is critical, especially given the consequences of failing to do so. Professor Douglas deals with all aspects of this but concentrates on its relationship to hypertension and stroke.

In addition we have our usual series of articles including conference news
which covers the recent ABN and the International movement disorder meeting in Florida in November. At this latter meeting, which attracts huge numbers of specialists from around the world, a new gene for PD was announced (DJ-1) as well as the results from the recent big US neural transplant trial in PD.

Finally I would like to give advance warning that ACNR is a journal of the
times and will have its own web-site where you can read all the issues published over the last 2 years…so for those who struggle with the concept of paper you can now go back to your computer.

Roger Barker
AdvancesinCNR@aol.com