EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 3 PM ET, April 28, 2009

��ɫ���� Elects New President

SEATTLE -

Robert C. Griggs, MD, FAAN, was elected the 31st president of the ��ɫ���� (AAN) at its 61st Annual Meeting in Seattle, April 25 – May 2, 2009. Griggs succeeds Stephen M. Sergay, MB BCh, FAAN, who has completed his two-year term as president. “It is an honor to serve as president of the world’s largest association of neurologists,” said Griggs. “During my two-year term, we plan to capitalize on the Academy’s strong foundation to promote the highest quality neurologic care for patients, while enhancing member career satisfaction so that we are indispensible to our more than 21,000 members.” Griggs, a Professor of Neurology, Medicine, Pathology, and Laboratory Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in Rochester, NY, chaired the ��ɫ���� ��ɫ���� Committee and served as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Neurology® for 10 years. He has also received numerous awards for teaching, including the AAN’s A.B. Baker Award for Lifetime Achievement in Neurologic ��ɫ����. Griggs is an internist/neurologist specializing in neuromuscular diseases with a focus on experimental therapeutics. A member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science, Griggs has published more than 300 scientific papers and 19 texts related to medicine and neurology. "Dr. Griggs is a visionary and has made extraordinary contributions to the field of neurology. His decades of leadership with the Academy and the respect of his peers position him well to lead the organization,” said Catherine M. Rydell, CAE, Executive Director and CEO of the AAN. “The AAN relies on outstanding continued leadership as we look ahead toward furthering research and treatments for the neurology patient and professional.”

The ��ɫ����, an association of over 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke. For more information about the ��ɫ����, visit www.aan.com.