The American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, has expanded its International Stroke Conference with multiple pre-conference symposia scheduled for February 3, 2026, in New Orleans, ahead of the main conference from February 4-6. This expansion reflects a strategic effort to deepen the scientific discourse and address specialized areas within stroke and brain health, positioning the event as a comprehensive global forum for advancing the field.
The five symposia cover distinct but interconnected domains of stroke science and care. The State-of-the-Science Stroke Nursing Symposium, running from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT, will provide updates on nursing topics, including prevention, management, rehabilitation, and program development. Key presentations will address the top 10 changes in the 2025 acute ischemic stroke guidelines impacting nursing, early palliative interventions, unifying stroke care, and connecting stroke survivors with healthcare systems. This forum underscores the critical role of nursing in implementing guidelines and improving patient outcomes, which is essential for healthcare systems aiming to enhance stroke recovery pathways.
A new addition, the Brain Health Pre-Con Symposium, from 8:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT, highlights the Association's growing commitment to brain function across the lifespan. It will explore intersections of vascular neurology, cognitive neuroscience, aging, and public health, with sessions on the heart-brain connection, post-stroke cognitive and mental health problems, and the use of AI to improve brain health. This symposium matters as it addresses the broader implications of stroke on long-term brain health, potentially influencing public health strategies and technological innovations in neurology.
The HEADS-UP symposium, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. CT, focuses on health equity and actionable disparities in stroke, specifically targeting race-ethnic disparities in cerebrovascular disease. As a collaborative initiative with the National Institutes for Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), it aims to reduce disparities and accelerate research translation to improve outcomes for race-ethnic minorities in the U.S. Details are available in the Program Planner. This initiative is crucial for addressing systemic inequities in stroke care, which can lead to more tailored interventions and policies that benefit underserved communities.
The Stroke in Practice: Stroke Lagniappe symposium, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT, emphasizes applying scientific advances in real-world settings, with this year's topic on challenges in acute stroke management. Meanwhile, the Experimental Stroke Science symposium, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CT, focuses on promising lab developments, such as intracerebral hemorrhage immunology and cerebral amyloid angiopathy, that could shape future treatments. These symposia bridge the gap between research and clinical practice, offering insights that may accelerate innovation and improve patient care protocols.
Media interested in attending can register via the provided link, and the Association notes that study conclusions are solely those of the authors, with abstracts considered preliminary until peer-reviewed. Financial information is available here, highlighting that over 85% of revenue comes from non-corporate sources to maintain scientific integrity. According to the American Heart Association's 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., underscoring the urgency of these discussions. The expansion of pre-conference events enhances the conference's role in fostering collaboration and disseminating knowledge that can impact global stroke outcomes, from clinical settings to public health initiatives.
