AAN 2026 — Parkinson's Disease Dates: April 18-22, 2026
Location: McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Organizer: American Academy of Neurology
Track: Movement Disorders
Overview
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The Parkinson's disease sessions at AAN 2026 will address the full spectrum of Parkinson's care and research, from basic science to clinical management. As part of the Movement Disorders track, this session brings together neurologists, researchers, and care providers working to improve outcomes for the millions living with Parkinson's disease worldwide["@aan2026"].
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AAN 2026 — Parkinson's Disease Dates: April 18-22, 2026
Location: McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Organizer: American Academy of Neurology
Track: Movement Disorders
Overview
Mermaid diagram (expand to render)
The Parkinson's disease sessions at AAN 2026 will address the full spectrum of Parkinson's care and research, from basic science to clinical management. As part of the Movement Disorders track, this session brings together neurologists, researchers, and care providers working to improve outcomes for the millions living with Parkinson's disease worldwide["@aan2026"].
AAN 2026 will highlight recent advances in disease modification, neuroprotection, and comprehensive care, while addressing remaining challenges in motor complications, non-motor symptoms, and personalized treatment approaches["@mds"].
Key Topics
Movement Disorders
Diagnosis and Assessment
Clinical diagnostic criteria
Prodromal markers
Neuroimaging biomarkers
Smell testing and other screening tools
Treatment Algorithms
Initial therapy selection
Levodopa optimization
Dopamine agonist use
MAO-B inhibitor strategies
Motor Complications
Motor fluctuations management
Dyskinesia treatment and prevention
Off-period management
Advanced delivery systems
Non-Motor Symptoms
Sleep disorders: RBD, insomnia, daytime sleepiness
Neuropsychiatric: Depression, anxiety, psychosis
Autonomic dysfunction: Orthostasis, constipation, urinary
Cognitive impairment: MCI to dementia
Emerging Topics at AAN 2026
Alpha-Synuclein-Targeted Therapies AAN 2026 will feature significant updates on therapies targeting alpha-synuclein pathology:
Immunotherapies: Active and passive vaccines targeting alpha-synuclein aggregatesSmall molecule aggregation inhibitors: Preventing misfolding and oligomerizationSeed amplification assays: Using synuclein SAA for diagnosis and trial enrollmentStrain diversity: Understanding how different alpha-synuclein strains affect disease progressionGene Therapy and Cell-Based Approaches Gene therapy for Parkinson's disease is maturing rapidly:
AAV2-GAD: Glutamic acid decarboxylase gene therapy for subthalamic nucleus (completed trials)AXO-Lenti-PD: Lentiviral vector delivering three dopaminergic enzymes (TH, AADC, GCH1)Cell replacement: iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons entering clinical trialsGene silencing: ASOs targeting GBA and LRRK2 mutationsPrecision Medicine in Parkinson's Genetic stratification is enabling personalized therapeutic approaches:
[LRRK2](/entities/lrrk2) mutation carriers: GBA-enhancing therapies, LRRK2 kinase inhibitors[GBA](/entities/gba) variants: Enzyme enhancement strategies, substrate reductionSNCA duplications: Alpha-synuclein-targeted approachesPolygenic risk scores: Combining multiple genetic variants for risk predictionNeuroprotection and Disease Modification Key trials in disease modification:
Inosine: Raising urate as neuroprotective strategyCoQ10: Mitochondrial support in early PDGM1 ganglioside: Restoring dopaminergic functionAnti-inflammatory approaches: GLP-1 receptor agonists with neuroprotective effects (e.g., exenatide trials)Digital Measures and Remote Monitoring Digital biomarkers are transforming PD assessment and clinical trials:
Wearable accelerometry: Objective motor symptom quantificationSmartphone-based assessments: Remote monitoring of tremor, bradykinesia, gaitVoice analysis: Detecting speech changes as early PD markersDigital twin models: AI-driven prediction of disease progressionTherapeutic Advances
New Pharmacological Treatments
Extended-release formulations
Novel dopamine agonists
Adenosine A2A antagonists
5-HT1A agonists
Deep Brain Stimulation
STN vs. GPi targeting
Directional leads
Closed-loop systems
Patient selection criteria
Gene Therapy Approaches
AAV-based gene delivery
GCH1, AADC, TH genes
Glutamate decarboxylase
Clinical trial results
Cell Replacement Therapy
Stem cell approaches
Embryonic dopaminergic cells
iPSC-derived [neurons](/entities/neurons)
Clinical trial updates
Clinical Management
Interdisciplinary Care
Movement disorder specialists
Physical therapy
Occupational therapy
Speech and swallowing therapy
Rehabilitation Approaches
Exercise-based interventions
LSVT BIG therapy
Balance training
Fall prevention
Psychiatric Manifestations
Depression and anxiety treatment
Psychosis management
Impulse control disorders
Sleep behavior disorders
Quality of Life Interventions
Nutritional considerations
Sleep hygiene
Patient education
Support groups
Research
Alpha-Synuclein Biology
Aggregation mechanisms
Spreading hypothesis
Strain diversity
Therapeutic targets
[LRRK2](/entities/lrrk2) mutations
[GBA](/entities/gba) variants
SNCA duplications
PRKN, PINK1, DJ-1
Biomarker Development
Fluid biomarkers
Imaging markers
Clinical progression markers
Treatment response predictors
Neuroprotection Strategies
Disease-modifying trials
Antioxidant approaches
Mitochondrial protection
Anti-inflammatory strategies
Expected Sessions
Plenary Lectures
Parkinson's disease: From symptom control to disease modification
[Alpha-synuclein](/proteins/alpha-synuclein): Target validation and therapeutic development
Core Symposia
Update on dopaminergic therapies
Deep brain stimulation: State of the art
Non-motor symptoms: Recognition and management
Gene therapy and cell replacement
Workshops
Botulinum toxin injection techniques
Neuropsychological assessment
Advanced Parkinson's management
[MDS 2026](/events/mds-2026) — Movement Disorder Society
[AAN 2026](/events/aan-2026) — Main conference page
[AD/PD 2026](/events/adpd-2026) — [Alzheimer's Disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease)/Parkinson's Disease
See Also
[AAN 2026](/events/aan-2026) — Main conference page
[MDS 2026](/events/mds-2026) — Movement Disorder Society
[Parkinson's Disease](/diseases/parkinsons-disease)
[AAN 2026 Movement Disorders Track](/events/aan-2026)
External Links
[AAN 2026 Annual Meeting](https://www.aan.com/meetings/annual-meeting)
[AAN Movement Disorders Section](https://www.aan.com/communities/sections/movement-disorders)
[Parkinson's Foundation](https://www.parkinson.org)
[Michael J. Fox Foundation](https://www.michaeljfox.org)
References
[American Academy of Neurology, AAN 2026 Movement Disorders Track (2026)](https://www.aan.com/annualmeeting)
[Movement Disorder Society, MDS International Congress 2026 (2026)](https://www.movementdisorders.org)
[Kalia LV, et al., Parkinson's disease. Lancet. 2024 (2024)](https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)01421-3)
[Lang AE, et al., Parkinson's disease. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2023 (2023)](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-023-00822-1) Show full description