EMEA Chapter Chat

11/10/2026

EMEAC-IFCN Short-Term Education Scholarship 2026

Dear Colleageus,

We are delighted to present our next Short-Term Education Scholarship report form our colleague Dr. Özgün Yetkin, MD

Training Completion Report

Host Institution: Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini / University of Genova
Supervisor: Prof. Lino Nobili
Training Period: June 1 – August 31, 2026 (3 months; scholarship covered 6 weeks)

Overview
I completed a three-month observership across three specialized units at IRCCS Gaslini: the Sleep Center, the Epilepsy Surgery Center, and the pediatric EEG Reporting Center. Through structured observation, this experience directly advanced my PhD research on endophenotypic markers in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and substantially expanded my understanding of clinical neurophysiology
practice.

Knowledge and Skills Developed Through Observation
Sleep Medicine (Sleep Center)
• Polysomnography (PSG) scoring
• Actigraphy analysis
• Home sleep apnea testing (HSAT) / respiratory polygraphy
• Home video-PSG scoring
• Pediatric sleep outpatient clinic
Epilepsy Surgery (Epilepsy Surgery Center)
• Stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG): patient management and clinical decision-making
• SEEG-guided radiofrequency thermocoagulation (SEEG-guided RF-TC) of epileptogenic foci
• MRI-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRgLITT / MRg-LITT) for hypothalamic
hamartoma
EEG Reporting (EEG Reporting Center)
• Video-EEG monitoring
• Routine EEG reporting in the pediatric outpatient clinic

Results and Outcomes
The observership produced several concrete outcomes:
• Enhanced clinical decision-making. Observing case discussions and diagnostic workflows across the three units strengthened my clinical reasoning in pediatric sleep medicine and sleep-related epilepsy, which I can apply directly in my own practice.

• Refined PhD methodology. Exposure to advanced scoring and diagnostic approaches provided me with practical insights that will improve the methodology and data analysis in my doctoral research on juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.

• Ongoing research collaboration. A collaboration was established with Prof. Nobili's team to further analyze my own PhD dataset. This work is ongoing and includes a sleep spindle analysis currently in progress, deepening the analytical scope of my research beyond what was possible at my home institution.

• Deeper understanding of the sleep-seizure interface. The opportunity to observe SEEG-based epilepsy surgery—including SEEG-guided RF-TC and MRgLITT—broadened my understanding of epileptogenic networks and the sleep-seizure relationship central to my thesis. As these advanced presurgical and surgical techniques are not available at my home institution, this observation provided knowledge I could not otherwise have accessed.

Özgün Yetkin

07/10/2026

Save the Date - 12–16 April 2027

Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to invite you on behalf of British Society for Clinical Neurophysiology to the 12th Triennial BSCN Teaching Course, which will take place from 12–16 April 2027 at Clare College, Cambridge and registration will open in the next few weeks.

BSCN

EMEAC

02/10/2026

https://www.efasweb.com/net/index.php/efas-education/efas-masterclass?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Dear Colleagues,

We are very pleased to welcome colleagues from the EMEA Chapter of
IFCN who are interested in autonomic medicine and clinical
neurophysiology to participate in the EFAS Masterclass. The
Masterclass provides an opportunity for focused education, exchange of
expertise, and interaction with colleagues working in the field of
autonomic disorders.

Further information about the Masterclass, including the program and
registration details, is available here:

https://www.efasweb.com/net/index.php/efas-education/efas-masterclass?utm_source=chatgpt.com

We are looking forward to meeting you in Zagreb.

Best regards,

Prof. Mario Habek, MD, PhD, FEAN

Referral Center for the Demyelinating Diseases of the Central Nervous System
Referral Center for the Autonomic Nervous System Disorders
Department of Neurology, University Hospital Center Zagreb
University of Zagreb, School of Medicine
Kispaticeva 12
HR-10000 Zagreb
Croatia
P/F: +38512376033; e-mail: [email protected]

EMEAC

25/09/2026

Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to invite you to:

Neuromuscular Complications of Critical Illness: Current concepts and Future Directions, Endorsed by EMEAC-IFN and ESICM

30th of October 2026 - onsite only
31st of October 2026 - onsite and online

The registration link is: https://event.au.dk/events/neuromuscular-complications-of-critical-illness/registration

Prof. Hatice Tankisi,
Past President of EMEAC

EMEAC

18/09/2026

Dear Colleagues,

Prof. Emeritus Erik Stålberg will present “Repetitive Nerve Stimulation: Practical Aspects”
Prof. Hacer Erdem Tilki, Turkey will moderate the session

The webinar will take place on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 4:30 PM CET.

Join via the link (No registration is needed):
https://aarhusuniversity.zoom.us/j/68763512805

The EMEAC-IFCN has launched a monthly webinar series to provide IFCN member societies with high-quality, complimentary online educational content. Scientific and clinically oriented lectures will be delivered by leading clinical neurophysiologists from around the world. Each session will also include time for discussion with the lecturer following the presentation.

Following the great success of our first two webinars presented by Prof. Riki Matsumoto (Kyoto, Japan), and Prof. Ulf Ziemann (Tübingen, Germany), we are delighted to announce our third webinar.

Repetitive Nerve Stimulation: Practical Aspects
This webinar will focus on the practical aspects of Repetitive Nerve Stimulation (RNS), with emphasis on the challenges encountered during routine testing. Prof. Erik Stålberg will discuss why RNS is not always a straightforward technique, including fluctuations and variability between responses. Practical approaches to handling the initial increment, interpreting response changes, and managing technical and physiological factors affecting the results will also be explained.

EMEAC

Prof. Hatice Tankisi, past president EMEAC

05/09/2026

Dear colleagues,

We are pleased to announce that the early bird registration deadline for the Ljubljana Clinical Neurophysiology Symposium 2026 has been extended until 7 September 2026.

This year’s symposium will focus on immune-mediated polyneuropathies and will feature a lineup of leading experts in the field. Here are the key details and highlights:
THE 42ND DR. JANEZ FAGANEL MEMORIAL LECTURER:

We look forward to meeting you!
Prof. Simon Podnar, MD
Meeting Chair

EMEAC

25/08/2026

EMEAC DIGITAL HOUR - CONTROVERSIES IN BRAIN STIMULATION - PART THREE
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8Z86ZL8

Dear Colleagues,

The EMEAC ExCo is delighted to continue with our interactive teaching initiative – The Digital Hour.

This project, designed by the Video conferencing fusion/hybrid group is aiming to promote National Societies scientific achievements by presenting keynote lectures from current annual meetings, symposia or courses in front of our large audience from Europe, Middle East and Africa.

We encourage all member Societies to participate in the project, giving us a feedback as well as sending video lectures/materials with contemporary accomplishment, presented nationally.

Hope this will keep EMEAC teaching life more active between each European Congress of Clinical Neurophysiology.

The current Digital Hour event is PART TWO – How to decrease variability of the
1st Controversies in Brain Stimulation Expert Workshop: Targeting Variability in Transcranial Stimulation Research; Munich, October 6-8, 2023; kindly presented to us by Prof. Andrea Antal (Department of Neurology University Medical Center Göttingen, Germany) and her team, organising the Workshop and producing the videos. With special thanks to Kim Zaiss (Executive Director- IFCN) and her IT team, generating the Digital Hour interface.

Practical and conceptual challenges for individualizing stimulation - S.Bestmann

Ni****ne and caffeine - Min-Fang Kuo

The multiple facets of response variability – implications for personalization of brain stimulation - H.R.Siebner

Please follow the link below to open the media:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8Z86ZL8

Please note, the link will be active for 30 days after this e-mail announcement date. To receive a certificate each participant is kindly invited to complete a short survey after the lecture.

We are excepting you to be an active Digital Hour partner, sending proposals from your National Society with attached video lectures or other interactive digital events. Please send those materials or any questions to Dr. Antonin Gechev, EMEAC M-at-Large ([email protected]).

The next Digital hour event will come soon.

Kind regards,

EMEAC ExCo

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

25/07/2026

Dear Colleges,

We are delighted to share our Short-Term Scholarship Program activities of Stephen Acheampong, Ghana

He completed a visit at the Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.

EMEAC ExCo

REPORT ON EMEAC-IFCN SHORT-TERM EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP, 2026- STEPHEN ACHEAMPONG, GHANA

INTRODUCTION
I am a neuroscience nurse working at the Sawla- Tuna –Kalba District Hospital, Ghana. I am recipient of the EMEAC IFCN Short-Term Education Scholarship for training in Clinical Neurophysiology for 2026. This training has been very beneficial for both me and my hospital (the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District
Hospital in the Savannah Region of Ghana).

PERIOD:
The training commenced on May 1, 2026, and concluded on June 15, 2026.
VENUE: Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.

AREA OF FOCUS:
Nerve conduction studies
 Theoretical Foundations of Nerve Conduction Studies such as anatomy of peripheral nerves.
 Accurate test performance (example proper placement of electrodes and correct stimulation
points.
 Interpretation of the findings.
 Generation of report from the studies to aid in clinical decision-making.

OTHER RELEVANT ACTIVITIES:
 In-person participation in the Neurophysiology of Movement Disorders course held in Aarhus Denmark.
 Participated in the EMEAC-IFCN Mentorship Retreat in Bovenden, Germany.

KEY IMPACT
 The Department of Clinical Neurophysiology at Aarhus University Hospital donated an EMG Keypoint device along with various accessories, including electrodes, a computer system unit, a computer monitor, and other additional items necessary for performing nerve conduction studies.
 Successful establishment of the first nerve conduction studies station in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District Hospital, serving the hospital and the entire district, and also the region.
 Gained both theoretical and practical knowledge and skills in performing nerve conduction studies.

CONCLUSION
The training has been highly impactful, resulting in the successful establishment of the first-ever nerve conduction studies station at the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District Hospital in Ghana's Savannah Region.

20/07/2026

Dear Colleges,

We are delighted to share our Short-Term Scholarship Program activities of Dr. Irene Carratalá Nebot.

She completed a visit at the Department of Intraoperative Neuro-Monitoring (IONM) at King’s College Hospital (London).

EMEAC ExCo

A Short-Term Educational Scholarship in Intraoperative Neurophysiological
Monitoring (IONM) at King’s College Hospital

1. Description of the placement
I completed a Short-Term Scholarship in the Department of Intraoperative NeuroMonitoring (IONM) at King’s College Hospital (London), from 1 February to 31 March 2026 (8 weeks), under the supervision of Dr. Ana Mirallave Pescador and Dr. Alba Díaz Baamonde.

2. Activities performed
During the scholarship, I combined daily practical training with the review of monitoring protocols applied to different surgical procedures. I took part in the selection and planning of the most appropriate IONM techniques depending on the type of surgery, as well as in the technical preparation of the setups.

During intraoperative procedures, I learned to set stimulation and recording parameters in different techniques, as well as to supervise the correct recording of signals, including the identification and correction of possible artefacts.
I also participated in the real-time interpretation of neurophysiological signals and in the joint analysis of results obtained from different monitoring techniques. I observed how findings and alerts were communicated to the multidisciplinary team, which helped me understand intraoperative decision-making in real time. I also took part in case discussions and clinical reviews.
In addition, during the rotation I was exposed to different intraoperative monitoring systems and software, which allowed me to become familiar with their configurations and analysis tools. Monitoring and mapping techniques used:- Somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs)- Transcranial motor evoked potentials (TcMEPs)- Direct cortical stimulation (DCS)- Free-run electromyography (EMG)- Electroencephalography (EEG)- Visual evoked potentials (VEPs)- Brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs)- Cortical and subcortical mapping- Cranial nerve mapping- Dorsal column mapping- Phase reversal- D-wave monitoring- Reflex monitoring (blink reflex, trigemino-hypoglossal reflex, laryngeal adductor reflex, bulbocavernosus reflex)- Magnetic therapy Neurosurgical procedures monitored:- Supratentorial tumours- Spinal tumours- Cerebellopontine angle tumours- Posterior fossa tumours- Arnold-Chiari decompression- Cerebral aneurysms- Arteriovenous malformations- Compressive myelopathies- Tethered cord- Awake surgery

3. Competencies acquired
This scholarship allowed me to consolidate my competencies in intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring, especially in the real-time interpretation of signals and their correlation with surgical events. The high exposure to a large volume of procedures facilitated learning and consolidation of different techniques through repetition and systematic observation.
In addition, the rotation significantly expanded my experience in neuro-oncological surgery, with the exposure to procedures that are not common in my home centre, where spinal pathology is more frequent. This complementarity helped me to complete my training especially in techniques related to complex brain surgery, such as cortical and subcortical mapping, cranial nerve mapping, brainstem reflexes monitoring and direct cortical stimulation.

Overall, the experience has helped me develop a broader and more balanced view of different monitoring strategies depending on the type of surgical procedure.
4. Impact in my home departmentThe scholarship at King’s College Hospital has had a very useful impact on my daily clinical practice. We have been able to review and update the monitoring protocols we used in my centre, and also to prepare reference tables with stimulation and recording parameters for the main neurophysiological monitoring techniques, with the aim of optimising signal quality in the operating theatre.
I have also shared different approaches observed during the scholarship, through case discussions and review of specific techniques, with special focus on brainstem reflex monitoring and trigeminal nerve mapping. It has also strengthened communication with the reference team at King’s College Hospital, which
allows access to advice in complex clinical cases.

Overall, I believe this scholarship is contributing in a gradual but significant way to the improvement and updating of daily clinical practice in my centre and to my professional development.

Irene Carratalá Nebot - 24/04/2026

20/07/2026

Dear Colleges,

We are delighted to share our Short-Term Scholarship Program activities of Dr. Orsolya Györfi.

She completed a visit at the Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Aarhus University Hospital under supervision of Professor Hatice Tankisi.

EMEAC ExCo

EMEAC – IFCN Scholarship report

I would like to thank EMEAC-IFCN for supporting my six-week study visit in Aarhus, Denmark, from 18 May to 26 June 2026. The aim of my training was to learn muscle and nerve excitability testing and CMAP scan under the supervision of Professor Hatice Tankisi at the Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Aarhus University Hospital.

The visit began with a multi-day expert meeting focused on ongoing and future excitability research projects. For me, this was a rare chance to see how advanced neurophysiology research is discussed, planned and tested step by step. I was involved in parts of the experimental work and received practical methodological advice that will be directly useful in my own practice.

After this initial period, I had the opportunity for daily hands-on training in muscle and nerve excitability and CMAP scan studies using Qtrac software, supervised by Professor Tankisi and her expert co-workers. These highly specialized techniques can best be learned directly from an expert, with continuous feedback on technical details and interpretation. Learning them in this way gave me much more confidence in applying the methods than would have been possible from written material alone. Since these methods are not yet available in Hungary, the training provided a solid basis for introducing them in our home institution, in line with the purpose of the fellowship.

During my daily practice, I also received practical guidance in nerve and muscle ultrasound and had the opportunity to observe patient examinations. Another important benefit of the stay was exposure to areas of neurophysiology that are currently not established in Hungary, such as pelvic neurophysiology.
Besides the daily practical work, I had the opportunity to participate in educational and networking activities, including the EMEAC-IFCN Movement Disorders Neurophysiology Course in Aarhus and the Neuroscience Days organized by Aarhus University.

A key outcome is that we were kindly allowed to borrow equipment suitable for nerve and muscle excitability studies and CMAP scan and bring it to Budapest. This creates a real opportunity to start developing this field in Hungary and, hopefully, to build long-term collaboration with Professor Tankisi and her group.

Overall, the scholarship gave me practical training in methods that are unavailable in my country and a close-up view of how a leading neurophysiology department works, where clinical practice and research are closely integrated. I am very grateful to EMEAC-IFCN for this support, and to my home department for allowing me to take this time away, in order to gain knowledge and experience that I believe can contribute to the future of clinical neurophysiology and research in Hungary.

Kind regards,
Orsolya Györfi