ANA-SEQUINS Global Neurology SIG – Emerging Technologies and their Role in Expanding Access to Neurological Care*
Date: October 19, 2026
Time: 3:45 pm to 5:15 pm
Room: Coral 4
Track: Traditional Special Interest Group (SIG)
Session Description
Rapid technological advances are transforming neurological care, but without intentional implementation and equity-focused frameworks, these innovations risk exacerbating global disparities. Emerging tools—including AI-assisted diagnostics, portable low-field MRI, dry-electrode EEG, and gene-based therapies—offer significant potential to expand access in resource-limited settings. The challenge lies in deploying these technologies ethically, sustainably, and inclusively.
This session will bring together leaders in global neurology, innovation, and implementation science to examine how emerging technologies can improve diagnosis, management, and outcomes across diverse care settings. Topics will include AI-enabled clinical decision support, scalable diagnostic platforms, and the ethical and policy considerations surrounding genetic and advanced therapies. Through real-world examples, speakers will provide practical strategies for integrating innovation while promoting equitable access.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this session, attendees will be able to:
- Describe emerging AI-driven and portable diagnostic technologies in neurological care.
- Evaluate strategies for implementing innovative tools in resource-limited and underserved settings.
- Analyze ethical and policy considerations to support equitable access to advanced therapies.
Speakers
- (Chair) Melody Asukile, MBChB, MMED, FC NEUROL (SA)
- (Co-Chair) Clio Rubinos, MD, MS, FANA
- (Speaker) André Fenton, PhD
- (Speaker) M. Brandon Westover, MD, PhD
- (Speaker) Jorge Llibre-Guerra, MD
The Utility of Portable and Low-Cost Diagnostics Tests in the Evaluation of Neurological Disorders
Description
In this presentation, Dr. Fenton will discuss how healthcare economics in well-resourced markets, not technology, is the greatest barrier to developing low-cost EEG diagnostics for the Global South.
The Role of AI Tools in Improving Access to Diagnosis and Management of Epilepsy
Description
In this presentation, Dr. Westover will review how EEG is essential to diagnosing and managing epilepsy, yet expert interpretation remains scarce or unavailable across much of the world. We have now reached a point where EEG interpretation can be substantially automated, removing one major roadblock to high-quality diagnostic care in regions with little or no local expertise. But automation alone is not enough: barriers remain, including the lack of low-cost, easy-to-use recording equipment suited to resource-limited settings. This talk surveys the technologies emerging to address these gaps, examines how AI is being integrated into clinical EEG practice today, and considers what validation and testing must happen before automated interpretation can become routine, trusted, and accepted in care worldwide.
Genetics and Decentralized Technologies: A Practical Framework for Inclusive Neurological Clinical Trials
Description
In this presentation, Dr. Llibre-Guerra will discuss practical applications of genetic identification, fluid biomarkers, and digital innovation to broaden global neurological trial participation.