Joint Sessions
Joint Sessions
The ICNMD is excited to be partnering with various organizations and have developed Joint Sessions highlighting important topics to be presented throughout the ICNMD Congress. More details will be shared as they become available.
Below is a list of the featured Joint Sessions.
8 July 2026
SS05: ICNMD & World Muscle Society Joint Session
SS05: ICNMD & World Muscle Society Joint Session
Date: 8 July 2026
Time: 11:15 – 12:45
Description: The session will focus on inequalities in access to treatment, their consequences, and the solutions that have been proposed. We will examine the situation in Tunisia, a country with a strong healthcare system but limited resources for innovative therapies. Tunisia is the last country in North Africa without access to disease-modifying therapies for spinal Muscular Atrophy. We will also examine the situation in Ukraine, where access to healthcare and treatments has been disrupted in some regions by the war. Finally, we will explore the consequences of inequitable access to treatment from the perspective of a high-income country.
Speakers will focus not only on the specific challenges faced by their countries, but also on the solutions that have been implemented or could be introduced to address these issues.
| Duration | Role | Topic | Name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Chair | Introductions | Laurent Servais | |
| 20 min | Speaker | When drugs are available… but not for everyone | Emna Farhat | |
| 20 min | Speaker | When war disrupts patients care | Nataliia Samonenko | |
| 30 min | Speaker | Crowdfunding, lottery, relocation… Treatment access inequity from a global north perspective | Laurent Servais | |
| 25 min | Q&A |
SS10: ICNMD & Peripheral Nerve Society Joint Session
SS10: ICNMD & Peripheral Nerve Society Joint Session
Date: 8 July 2026
Time: 14:30 – 16:00
Description: This special joint symposium brings together the International Congress on Neuromuscular Diseases (ICNMD) and the Peripheral Nerve Society (PNS)—the world’s largest medical society dedicated to the study of peripheral nerve disorders. In this collaborative session, distinguished members of the PNS will deliver expert updates and comprehensive educational content focusing on the latest advancements in autoimmune, genetic, and toxic neuropathies.
| Duration | Role | Topic | Name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Chair | Introductions | Marcus Pinto | USA |
| 20 min | Speaker | Painful Neuropathies: New insights/New treatment targets | Claudia Somner | Germany |
| 20 min | Speaker | Chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy | Paola Alberti | Italy |
| 20 min | Speaker | Gene therapy for inherited neuropathies – how to optimally deliver to peripheral nerves | Kleopas Kleopa | Cyprus |
| 30 min | Speaker | Antibodies in autoimmune neuropathies | Kavita Grover | USA |
| 5 min | Q&A |
9 July 2026
SS17: ICNMD, AIM & ASNP Joint Session- Update in Neuromuscular Disorders: The Italian Contribution
SS17: ICNMD, AIM & ASNP Joint Session- Update in Neuromuscular Disorders: The Italian Contribution
Date: 9 July 2026
Time: 11:15 – 12:45
Description: This workshop will cover various topics relating to the Italian experience in the approach to some less frequent aspects of neuromuscular diseases. In addition to the diagnostic evaluation of peripheral neuropathies using multiple neurophysiological procedures, clinical and diagnostic aspects of myasthenic syndromes and axial myopathies will be evaluated.
| Duration | Role | Topic | Name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Chair | Introductions | Vincenzo Nigro | |
| 20 min | Speaker | Diagnostic approach to peripheral neuropathy | Fiore Manganelli | Italy |
| 20 min | Speaker | Update on Genetic Myasthenic syndromes | Lorenzo Maggi | Italy |
| 20 min | Speaker | Axial myopathies: clinical phenotypes and differential diagnosis | Tiziana Mongini | Italy |
| 25 min | Q&A |
SS22: ICNMD & German Nerve Club Joint Session - Nerve surgery, diagnostics and rehabilitation
SS22: ICNMD & German Nerve Club Joint Session - Nerve surgery, diagnostics and rehabilitation
Date: 9 July 2026
Time: 14:30 – 16:00
Description: This joint session of the ICNMD and the German Nerve Club brings together leading international experts in peripheral nerve disorders to discuss recent advances in nerve surgery, diagnostic techniques, and rehabilitation strategies. The program covers the full spectrum of modern peripheral nerve care, from rare peripheral nerve tumors and innovative surgical approaches to the latest developments in nerve imaging, ultrasound diagnostics, and functional recovery.
Presentations will explore the role of high-resolution nerve ultrasound in the diagnosis and management of conditions such as neuralgic amyotrophy, outcomes following peripheral nerve repair, and the surgical treatment of complex neuropathies. Further topics include thoracic outlet syndrome, peripheral nerve stimulation for motor recovery and neuropathic pain, and reconstructive techniques aimed at improving long-term patient outcomes.
By integrating perspectives from neurology, neurosurgery, rehabilitation medicine, and translational research, this session highlights multidisciplinary approaches to optimizing diagnosis, treatment, and recovery in patients with peripheral nerve disorders. Attendees will gain insights into emerging technologies, evidence-based surgical interventions, and future directions in peripheral nerve care.
| Duration | Role | Topic | Name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Chair | Introductions | Robert Schmidhmmer | |
| 30 min | Speaker | Nerve Surgery The power of one: advances with rare peripheral nerve tumors | Robert Spinner | USA |
| 7 min | Speaker | Size does not matter - Ultrasound Parameters and Patient-Reported Outcomes after Median and Ulnar Nerve Repair | Nathalie Winter | |
| 7 min | Speaker | Nerve ultrasound and its role in detecting neuralgic amyotrophy | Alexander Grimm | |
| 7 min | Speaker | Between neuralgic amyotrophy and torsional neuropathy – the role of surgery | Nora Dengler | |
| 7 min | Speaker | The Thoracic Outlet Syndrome | Franz Lassner | |
| 7 min | Speaker | The potential for gain of function under direct nerve stimulation based on the long-term results of peroneal nerve stimulation | K.D Martin | |
| 7 min | Speaker | Peripheral Nerve Stimulation as a Therapeutic Option for Severe Neuropathic Pain | Walter Demel | |
| 7 min | Speaker | Addressing Peripheral Neuropathic Pain from Nerve Scarring with Perforator-Based Gliding Tissue Flaps: Two Decades of Clinical Practice | Savas Tsolakidis |
10 July 2026
SS29: ICNMD & World Federation of Neurology Joint Session
SS29: ICNMD & World Federation of Neurology Joint Session
Date: 10 July 2026
Time: 11:15 – 12:45
Description: The World federation of Neurology promotes and supports research and treatment of NM disease. Following the congress tradition, one session is cohosted with ICNMD to make aware and promote important global topics. This session will include an analysis of neuromuscular symptoms of Covid, the globally important topic of leprosy and NM emergencies in Asia
| Duration | Role | Topic | Name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Chair | Introductions | ||
| 20 min | Speaker | Neuromuscular late effects of Covid | Maurizio Leone | Italy |
| 20 min | Speaker | Leprosy | Pedro Tomaselli | Brazil |
| 20 min | Speaker | India: Emergencies in NM diseases | Sarath Menon | |
| 25 min | Q&A |
SS34: ICNMD & The Autonomic Disorder Group of the WFN Joint Session
SS34: ICNMD & The Autonomic Disorder Group of the WFN Joint Session
Date: 10 July 2026
Time: 14:30 – 16:00
Description: Symptoms attributed to autonomic dysfunction are common, and underlying causes are often misdiagnosed as primary autonomic failure. Cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, rheumatologic, immune, and functional conditions (e.g., PPPD, ME/CFS, pelvic floor disorders) can mimic these presentations. Some patients experience a cluster of symptoms—orthostatic intolerance, fatigue, pain, cognitive issues, and dysregulation—that, while individually non-dangerous, can be highly disabling. Managing symptoms in isolation is ineffective; evidence supports a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach for better outcomes, though optimal strategies remain under discussion.
| Duration | Role | Topic | Name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Chair | Introductions | Paola Sandroni | USA |
| 20 min | Speaker | Autonomic testing | Valerie Iodice | UK |
| 20 min | Speaker | Dysfunctional autonomic disorders | Paola Sandroni | USA |
| 20 min | Speaker | Autonomic neuropathies | Jin-Woo Park | Korea |
| 25 min | Q&A |
11 July 2026
SS41: ICNMD & iMyoS Joint Session - Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies/Myositis: optimal diagnosis and treatment
SS41: ICNMD & iMyoS Joint Session - Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies/Myositis: optimal diagnosis and treatment
Date: 11 July 2026
Time: 11:15 – 12:45
Description: Inflammatory myopathies -myositis- include dermatomyositis (DM), anti-synthetase syndrome (ASyS), immune-mediated-necrotizing-myopathy (IMNM), overlap myositis and inclusion body myositis. Apart from muscle weakness, varying degrees of extramuscular involvement such as interstitial lung disease (ILD) can occur and even lead to death.
iMyoS is a global, interdisciplinary society for Rheumatologists, Neurologists, Neuropathologists and many other specialties that are involved in diagnosing and treating myositis. The society aims to harmonize the development of best international standards of care for myositis and organizes two yearly global conferences on myositis (GCOM). The most recent GCOM meeting took place in Lisbon in March 2026.
During this joint iMyos-ICNMD session on myositis three topics will be discussed: diagnostic strategies for an optimal diagnosis of IIM patients and mimics, treatment options in newly diagnosed patients and refractory patients and the new IBM criteria to enhance diagnosis, clinical trials and patient outcomes.
| Duration | Role | Topic | Name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Chair | Introductions | Jens Schmidt | Germany |
| 20 min | Speaker | Diagnostic strategies for an optimal diagnosis of IIM patients and mimics | Joost Raaphorst | Netherlands |
| 20 min | Speaker | Treatment options in newly diagnosed patients and refractory patients | Julie Paik | |
| 20 min | Speaker | New IBM criteria to enhance diagnosis, clinical trials and patient outcomes | James Lilleker | UK |
| 25 min | Q&A |
SS46: Ageing and Senescense
SS46: Ageing and Senescense
Date: 11 July 2026
Time: 14:30 – 16:00
Description: The Ageing of the neuromuscular system is gaining importance. Most commonly, Sarcopenia and the cancer associated cachexia are referenced. Increasingly the assessment of Sarcopenia in the elderly is aging importance and several associations, also as with cognitive decline have been noted. Also peripheral nerves age, which important not only for motor , but also sensory functions, in relation to coordination and balance. This session discusses several aspects on the ageing on the NM system.
| Duration | Role | Topic | Name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Chair | Introductions | ||
| 20 min | Speaker | Senescence of the NM system | Mikolaj Ogrodnik | Austria |
| 20 min | Speaker | Ageing of peripheral nerves | Claudia Sommer | Germany |
| 20 min | Speaker | Molecular insights of ageing sarcopenia | Marco Sandri | Italy |
| 25 min | Q&A |