Neurology Journals Author Center

1 Article Types
  1. Neurology
  2. 1.1 Research Articles
  3. 1.2 Non-research Articles
  4. 1.3 Resident & Fellow Section
    1. 1.3.1 Case-Based Articles
    2. 1.3.2 Other Articles
  5. Neurology: Clinical Practice
    Article Types
  6. Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation
    Article Types
  7. Neurology: Genetics
    Article Types
  8. Neurology: Education
    Article Types
    1.  
2 Preparing the Submission
  1. 2.1 Formatting the Manuscript
    1. 2.1.1 Style Matters
    2. 2.1.2 Reporting Guidelines
    3. 2.1.3 Titles
    4. 2.1.4 Abstracts
      1. 2.1.4.1 Structured Abstract for Research Articles
      2. 2.1.4.2 Structured Abstract for Clinical Scientific Notes
      3. 2.1.4.3 Unstructured Abstract for Other Article Types
    5. 2.1.5 Main Manuscript
      1. 2.1.5.1 Research Articles
      2. 2.1.5.2 Other Article Types
        1. 2.1.5.2.1 Clinical Scientific Notes
        2. 2.1.5.2.2 Research Methods in Neurology
        3. 2.1.5.2.3 Reviews
        4. 2.1.5.2.4 Other Manuscripts
    6. 2.1.6 Acknowledgment
    7. 2.1.7 References
    8. 2.1.8 Tables and Figures
      1. 2.1.8.1 Tables
      2. 2.1.8.2 Figures
      3. 2.1.8.3 Videos
  2. 2.2 Additional Requirements for Clinical Trial Reports
    1. 2.2.1 Registration
    2. 2.2.2 Reporting Guidelines
    3. 2.2.3 Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan
  3. 2.3 Additional Requirements for Reports of Genetic Studies
  4. 2.4 Classification of Evidence
  5. 2.5 Short Form for the Print Version
  6. 2.6 Statistics
  7. 2.7 Pre-submission Worksheet
3 Submitting the Manuscript
  1. 3.1 Forms and Materials Required at Time of Submission
    1. 3.1.1 Cover Letter
    2. 3.1.2 Title Page
    3. 3.1.3 Supplemental Material
  2. 3.2 Submitting a Manuscript
  3. 3.3 Submitting a Letter
  4. 3.4 Submitting an Editorial or Invited Commentary
4 After Submission
  1. 4.1 Tracking the Status of a Manuscript
  2. 4.2 Submitting a Revision
  3. 4.3 Forms Needed at Provisional Acceptance
5 Journal Policies
  1. 5.1 Authorship
    1. 5.1.1 Definitions
    2. 5.1.2 Reporting Authors, Coinvestigators, and Contributors
    3. 5.1.3 Group Authorship
      1. 5.1.3.1 Groups in Which All Members Qualify as Authors
      2. 5.1.3.2 Study Groups in Which Some Members Qualify as Authors and Others Qualify as Coinvestigators or Contributors
    4. 5.1.4 Changes in Authorship After Submission
    5. 5.1.5 Author Name Changes After Publication
  2. 5.2 Conflicts of Interest and Disclosure
  3. 5.3 Scientific Misconduct and Breaches of Publication Ethics
  4. 5.4 Research Ethics and Informed Consent
    1. 5.4.1 Ethics Board Approval
    2. 5.4.2 Informed Consent for Participation in Research Studies
    3. 5.4.3 Consent to Disclose for Publication of Case reports and Case Series
    4. 5.4.4 Animal Studies
  5. 5.5 Data Availability and Access
    1. 5.5.1 Full Data Access
    2. 5.5.2 Data Availability Policy and Statement
  6. 5.6 Open Access
    1. 5.6.1 Open Access: Low- and Middle-Income Economies
  7. 5.7 Funder Mandates
  8. 5.8 Journal Accountability
    1. 5.8.1 Ombudsman
    2. 5.8.2 Scientific Integrity Advisor
    3. 5.8.3 Corrections
    4. 5.8.4 Appeals to Editorial Decisions
  9. 5.9 Publication Policies Not Addressed Elsewhere
    1. 5.9.1 Preprints
    2. 5.9.2 Embargo
    3. 5.9.3 Rejected Manuscripts
    4. 5.9.4 Permissions
 

1 Article Types

Article types for: Neurology: Clinical Practice, Neurology: Genetics, Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation, and Neurology: Education

Neurology

1.1 Research Articles

Article type

Characteristics

Requirements

Policies

Research Article

Most research papers submitted to the Neurology journals fall into this category, including (but not limited to) clinical trials; observational studies; systematic reviews and meta-analyses; studies of diagnostic or screening tests; genetic risk prediction studies; economic evaluation studies; studies developing, validating, or updating a prediction model; and health outcomes research studies. Research papers that focus on the education of students, residents, fellows, and neurologists also fall within this category.

 

If the question is important, the methods are sound, and the reporting transparent, equal consideration is given to all papers, regardless of the results (positive or null).

Clinical/Scientific Note

Papers in this category include reports of new research as well as case series and case reports that open up new lines of inquiry.

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1.2 Non-research Articles

Review

These narrative reviews focus on clinical questions or place basic or translational research findings in a clinical context. Authors should include information on their search methods and include evidence published in the last 3 years. Many of these reviews will be invited contributions, but authors interested in writing one may send a proposal to the Neurology editorial office that includes the topic, focus, and organization of the proposed submission.

  

Contemporary Issues in Practice, Education & Research

These manuscripts address issues relevant to the practice and training of neurologists involved in clinical care, education, research, or policy in the US and internationally.

  

Research Methods in Neurology

The purpose of this section is to publish papers that describe the application of methods used in neurologic research. The target audience is neurologists doing research who need a primer addressing practical topics. This is not the venue for papers describing the first use or validation of a statistical, imaging, or other method, because those are better suited to a journal specializing in that methodology. We encourage authors interested in writing these papers to contact the Neurology editorial office to discuss the suitability and approach of the proposed manuscript.

  

Historical Neurology

These papers highlight aspects of the history of neurology. Priority is given to methodologically sound historical scholarship that addresses developments in neurology in a wider intellectual and social context rather than veneration of individuals. Neurology encourages papers on the untold history of neurology that highlight contributions of underrepresented neurologists or patients to the growth of the field.

  

NeuroImages and Video NeuroImages

Submissions include photomicrographs, photographs, neuroradiologic images, and videos. NeuroImages and Video NeuroImages are reviewed by Neurology's editorial team but we will occasionally ask for additional comments from external peer-reviewers.

 

Viewpoint

Articles where authors express an opinion on clinical, scientific, ethical, or policy issues backed by robust evidence. These articles should be a platform for debate and challenge current thinking.
  • ≤500 Words
  • No abstract
  • ≤5 References
  • No figures or tables
  

Humanities in Neurology

This section will publish stories, essays, and poems that draw on the personal experience of the writer, and provide insights into themselves, their patients, and human relationships. It is about who our patients are and who we are. Words like love, fear, anguish, and hope are not part of our scientific vocabulary, but they are integral parts of the language of life. They will be a part of this section, and they are part of what we do. As we look into the hearts and souls of our patients, some of us will be inspired to describe and define their responses to illnesses. This section will also allow us, as clinicians and scientists, to examine our inner selves and express our own anxieties and conflicts. 
  • ≤2,000 Words
  • No abstract
  • Cover letter should indicate if submission is prose or poetry and whether submission is fiction or non-fiction.

Visions

This section is devoted to art and images from nature or the physical world that reflect the complexity and beauty of the nervous system.

  

Disputes & Debates

These are electronic letters to the editor that relate to papers published in Neurology, and authors of these papers are encouraged to reply. Some letters are edited for inclusion in an issue of Neurology along with an accompanying commentary. Letters should be submitted within 6 months of issue date, but the editors will consider a longer time period for submission if they consider the letter a significant addition to the literature. These are not uploaded into the manuscript tracking system. To submit, search for article on neurology.org. Click on button “Make Comment” just below the title.
  • ≤200 Words
  • ≤5 References
  • No figures or tables
  

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1.3 Resident & Fellow Section

The Resident & Fellow Section (RFS) publishes papers that further the education of medical students, residents, fellows, and other trainees. Papers in the RFS are relevant to trainees, educators, and others interested in medical education. Papers in this section can be written by trainees and others. Manuscript in this section include:

1.3.1 Case-Based Articles

Clinical Reasoning

Clinical Reasoning articles focus on case presentations with the aim of developing reasoning skills among trainees. Appropriate cases for publication include uncommon presentations of common neurological disorders and typical presentations of more exotic disorders (see Clinical Reasoning Author Guide)

Pearls & Oy-sters

Pearls & Oy-sters is a feature focusing on fundamental clinical neurology. Each article should address a specific area of clinical neurological disease and provide expertise in the form of clinical insights and tips, i.e., “pearls,” as well as advice for avoiding mistakes, or “oy-sters.” (see Pearls & Oy-sters Author Guide)

Child Neurology

The Child Neurology subsection focuses on contemporary educational issues in pediatric neurology. These articles provide up-to-date case-based reviews on important topics in child neurology that are relevant to all neurologists, particularly those still in training.

Bridging the Gap

From Camillo Golgi’s work on the structure of the nervous system in 1906 to the recent awarding of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology to Harvey J. Alter for the discovery of the hepatitis C virus, physician-scientists have made and continue to make a critical contribution to translational research.  Translational research is an overarching approach to scientific innovation that steps over arbitrary distances between basic science and medicine. With one foot in clinical practice and the other in research, physician-scientists are in the unique position to bridge this gap. Please send a proposal for case to rfsection@neurology.org before submission. Access submission details. 

Teaching NeuroImages and Teaching Video NeuroImages

Teaching NeuroImages are interesting, previously unpublished photomicrographs, patient photographs, neuroradiologic images, or other pictorial material. They should be particularly clear examples of established observations intended for the trainee audience. Educational videos may also be submitted under this category (Teaching Video NeuroImages) (see Teaching NeuroImages Author Guide). Authors must generate a single multiple-choice question to accompany their submission that adheres to the following guidelines:

  • Questions must be 280 characters or less, including links, spaces, and punctuation. 
  • Answer choices must be 25 characters or less. 
  • There should be 4 answer choices accompanying each question. 
  • Questions with accompanying figures or videos should not include identifiable patient features or patient information.
  • For additional guidance on question-writing, please refer to the resource provided on the RFS website.
  • ≤150 Words
  • No abstract
  • ≤50 Words in figure legend
  • ≤2 References
  • ≤2 Figures or 1 Figure and 1 video

1.3.2 Other Articles

Opinion & Special Articles

These manuscripts will provide timely opinions about important areas in neurology education and training. Relevant topics include medical student teaching, training requirements, work/life balance, board certification, and directions in education.

Neurology Journal Club

Neurology Journal Club submissions are structured evaluations of recent Neurology research articles. The aim is to enhance the training of residents and fellows by providing a critical appraisal of medical literature. Residents or fellows interested in submitting a Neurology Journal Club article should review the e-Publication Ahead of Print articles at http://www.neurology.org/content/early/recent for the most recently published material and email Neurology with their selection for prior approval.

Global & Community Health

More than 85% of the world's population lives in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of neurologic disease is greatest. In addition, over 50 million Americans live in medically underserved communities. Despite these figures, relatively little is known about patients and practitioners of neurology in resource-limited settings. This section aims to explore global and community health topics in neurology training and education.

Emerging Subspecialties

These manuscripts will review the history and development of emerging subspecialties or careers in neurology, including fields such as Pain Medicine, Sports Neurology, Neuroepidemiology, working for the FDA and others. The focus should be on educating residents with a possible interest in this subspecialty or career pathway by detailing training opportunities and concrete, actionable guidance for how to best pursue such careers. Those interested in writing these manuscripts should contact the Resident & Fellow Section Editor before submission to inquire about the need for an article on a particular topic.

Right Brain

Right Brain publishes meaningful, high-quality creative writing, including narrative fiction, non-fiction, and poetry which have broad appeal to a trainee audience. Stories and narratives should focus on an aspect of the neurology training experience, giving voice to trainees’ unique perspectives and sharing lessons learned. Pieces should be relatable and personable, highlighting and normalizing common experiences in training. Stories may share experiences in patient care, career development, or personal growth. Articles may highlight uncertainty and ambiguity in training, demonstrate challenges and successes, and illustrate moments of tension or relief.

 

Priority will be given to pieces exploring the experience of being a trainee in neurology. If you are unsure if your article is a good fit for Right Brain, please reach out to the editors ahead of submission at rfsection@neurology.org.  
  • Fiction or nonfiction narrative ≤1,500 Words
  • Poetry (≤2 pages or 100 lines in length)
  • Include a brief unstructured reflective abstract (≤100 words) describing the purpose of your submission and key lessons learned from the experience described
  • ≤5 References
  • ≤1 Figures or tables
  • Written patient consent is required for manuscripts that describe individual patient encounters

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2 Preparing the Submission

2.1 Formatting the Manuscript

Prepare manuscripts electronically and submit them using a standard word processing format (Microsoft Word is preferred). Although conversions can be made from other word processing formats and PDF files, the vagaries of the conversion process may introduce errors. Note: We understand that authors may not exactly adhere to our style and the specifications mentioned below when drafting their manuscripts. We will consider manuscripts that do not adhere to the requirements below but if a revision is invited after peer review, authors will need to reformat the manuscript in line with the requirements stated below. Manuscripts should not deviate from word counts, however. We do require that authors use a reporting guideline when writing the manuscript and that they provide the information requested in the cover letter. In addition, if the paper is a report of a clinical trial, the manuscript must meet all the requirements for clinical trials detailed below.

2.1.1 Style Matters

The Neurology journals follow the latest version of the AMA Manual of Style and the “ICMJE Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly work in Medical Journals.” Please adhere to the Neurology journals style points. The editors may request changes as necessary for accepted manuscripts. When drafting a paper, authors may consult the list of widely accepted abbreviations that may be used in the manuscript without having to provide a definition.

2.1.2 Reporting Guidelines

Consult the EQUATOR Network website to identify the most recent and relevant guidelines and extensions. Use the appropriate reporting guideline when drafting the manuscript and in the cover letter, explain if any extensions were used. Include a copy of the completed checklist indicating where in the manuscript each item was addressed. Upload checklists as Supplemental Files. You may also get assistance from the EQUATOR Decision Tree.  Examples of required guidelines include but are not limited to:

Study type

Reporting guideline (consult the EQUATOR Network website for the latest version)

Clinical trial

CONSORT and its extensions, including for abstracts, when appropriate

Observational study

STROBE and its extensions

RECORD for studies using routinely collected data

STREGA for genetic association studies

STROND for incidence and prevalence studies in neuroepidemiology

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses

PRISMA and its extensions, including for abstracts, when appropriate

MOOSE

Diagnostic or prognostic studies

STARD (an abstract extension)

TRIPOD

Case reports

CARE and its extensions

Clinical practice guidelines

AGREE

RIGHT

Qualitative research

SRQR, COREQ

Animal preclinical studies

ARRIVE

Quality improvement studies

SQUIRE

Economic evaluations

CHEERS

Genetic risk prediction studies

GRIPS

Genetic association studies

STREGA

2.1.3 Titles

The Neurology journals follow the AMA Manual of Style for titles. Titles should be specific, informative, and ≤140 characters long (including spaces and punctuation). Titles should not announce the results of the study and should not be in the form of a question. Include the disease or condition under study and key terms to increase discoverability when readers use electronic search engines. Titles may include widely-accepted abbreviations. Clinical trials and meta-analyses should include the study design in the title.

2.1.4 Abstract

2.1.4.1 Structured Abstract for Research Articles

Research articles and systematic reviews require a structured abstract. Many readers will only read the abstract and it is therefore important that it reflects what was done and found in the study. When appropriate, use reporting guidelines for abstracts (CONSORT, PRISMA) when preparing the abstract. The word limit for structured abstracts is 350 words. Do not include information that is not in the manuscript. When necessary, phrases may be used instead of full sentences. Refer to the list of widely accepted abbreviations that may be used without clarification in the abstract. The structured abstract must include the information described below, and authors are asked to reference recent journal issues for examples.

Background and Objectives: Briefly outline the reason why the study was done, most recent findings on the topic, or context of the research. State the primary objective and key secondary objectives, if applicable, or the a priori hypothesis that is being tested.

Methods: Describe the key elements of the study design (randomized clinical trial, cohort study, etc.). Explain the setting where the patients or participants were recruited, how they were identified, and what the key inclusion and exclusion criteria were as well as the duration of follow-up, if relevant. The number of participants in the study should go in the Results section and not here. Describe any interventions or exposures considered. Was matching done and if so, how? Describe and define the primary outcome measures and explain how they were ascertained and collected. How were the outcomes defined? How were the data analyzed? For manuscripts reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses, provide information on the databases and years searched. Include the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the systematic search and how data were abstracted.

Results: Describe how many participants were enrolled in the study and provide their key summary clinical and demographic characteristics. The focus of this section must be on the primary outcome. Provide absolute numbers, estimates of effect or association, and corresponding measures of uncertainty. Do not report p-values by themselves. Measures of relative risk should be presented with 95% confidence intervals. Any secondary outcomes or the results of post hoc analyses must be identified as such. Studies evaluating diagnostic tests or biomarkers should provide information on sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, ROCs, and predictive values. For meta-analysis, provide information on how many studies were included and a rating of the quality of the available evidence. State which outcomes were studied and include odds ratios, effect sizes, and confidence intervals.

Discussion: Summarize the main finding of the primary outcome and focus only on those conclusions that are supported by the data presented in the study. Include a sentence highlighting the clinical, research, policy, or public health implications of the study.

Trial Registration Information (when applicable): Include the name of all registries where the study was registered, the registration number(s), and the date the study was submitted to a registry. In addition, include the date when the first patient was enrolled. Include link to the registration. This is mandatory for clinical trials and optional for other studies.

2.1.4.2 Structured Abstract for Clinical Scientific Notes

The word limit for these abstracts is 200. The structured abstract must include the information described below.

Objectives: State the main objective of the case report or case series. What is unique about this report?

Methods: How were the participants identified? How were they evaluated?

Results: As appropriate, describe the main symptoms and most relevant clinical findings. Describe any diagnostic or therapeutic interventions and the outcome.

Discussion: How does this add to the literature? How do the results open new lines of research, or how do they change clinical care? What is the main “take-away” lesson from this case?

2.1.4.3 Unstructured Abstract for Other Article Types

Reviews, Research Methods in Neurology, Contemporary Issues in Practice, Education, & Research, and Historical Neurology should include an unstructured abstract of up to 350 words summarizing the background, focus, and key points addressed in the manuscript. Resident & Fellow Section submissions should include an unstructured abstract of up to 250 words. Please follow the Resident & Fellow Section unstructured abstract guidelines. 

2.1.5 Main Manuscript

Consult the “ICMJE Recommendations for Preparing a Manuscript for Submission to a Medical Journal” when writing a manuscript.

2.1.5.1 Research Articles

Organize the manuscript into the following sections:

Introduction

The introduction should provide the context for the study: what is known about the topic, what are the gaps in knowledge, and what this study sets out to do. State the hypothesis or research question being studied. The introduction should be concise and focused.

Methods

The Methods section should provide a transparent account of what was done in sufficient detail to let readers fully appraise the study and determine the validity and generalizability of the results. When applicable, experimental studies should include information to allow replication such as the nucleotide sequences used for RNA or DNA probes, what an antibody was made against, constructs for transgenic animals, and reagents and instruments used with the manufacturer's names and locations. Similarly, clinical study reports should describe the interventions used in sufficient detail to allow replication. In addition, the description of the methods for studies of interventions, biomarkers, and diagnostic studies should allow for Classification of Evidence using American Academy of Neurology (AAN) criteria. However, this will be requested at revision after assessment by the COE editorial team. Manuscripts that employ previously described methods may reference prior publications for details but should still include enough information to allow the submitted manuscript to be understood without having to reference the other papers. If you prefer to insert the previously published methods verbatim, please state: "We used the same methodology as the one employed in a previous study [citation]." Insert the published method verbatim immediately after the statement, citing it appropriately. If the verbatim wording is more than 200 words, supply permission to republish the content from the publisher of the original article.

At first mention of a drug or device in a manuscript, authors must state the generic name with the proprietary name in parentheses along with the name, city, and state of the manufacturer. In subsequent mentions, the generic name should be used. Clinical/Scientific Notes only need to list the generic name unless the paper compares 2 or more medications.

Describe statistical methods with enough detail to enable a knowledgeable reader with access to the original data to judge their appropriateness for the study and to verify the reported results. Please refer to the Statistical Methods section for additional details.

In the Methods, include a subsection titled “Standard Protocol Approvals, Registrations, and Patient Consents” and include the following, as appropriate:

  • A statement of approval by an ethical standards committee on human experimentation (institutional or regional) for any experiments using human participants and the name and number of the approving ethical board.
  • A statement identifying the institutional or licensing committee approving experiments performed on live vertebrates and/or higher invertebrates.
  • A statement that written informed consent was obtained from all participants (or guardians of participants) in the study (consent for research). For a retrospective analysis that is IRB-approved, state that approval from an ethical standards committee to conduct this study was received. If the ethics board determined that participant consent was not required or waived, include that information. If you are exempt from institutional board approval due to country, local, or institutional regulations, please state this and mention the locale and reason for exemption.
  • A statement that authorization has been obtained for disclosure (consent to disclose) of any recognizable persons in photographs, videos, or other information that may be published in the journal, in derivative works by the AAN, or on the journal’s website (when applicable).
  • If the study reports on a clinical trial, provide the name of the trial registry where the study was registered and the registration number.
  • For further guidance, please refer to the Research Ethics and Informed Consent section of this document.

At the end of the Methods section, include a data availability statement under a separate subheading entitled “Data Availability.”

Results

Present the results in a logical sequence, giving the results of the primary outcome analysis first. Do not repeat data in the text, tables, and figures. When possible, provide absolute rather than relative risks, and include measures of association and estimates of precision rather than simply p values. Provide data on all identified primary and secondary outcomes identified in the Methods section and, when appropriate, in the trial registration.

Discussion

In this section, emphasize the new aspects of the study and place the findings in context. What are the implications of the results for clinical care, research, or public policy? Describe the strengths and limitations of the study. Identify new avenues of research that the findings open. Avoid priority claims such as, for example, “this is the first study to…”.

2.1.5.2 Other Article Types
2.1.5.2.1 Clinical Scientific Notes

Organize the manuscript with 4 sections: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion.

2.1.5.2.2 Research Methods in Neurology

Papers should address practical topics and, when possible, use examples from the literature to illustrate their point. These papers do not adhere to a strict format, but the editors may require revisions to ensure logical progression of the concepts and enhance the didactic value of the manuscript.

2.1.5.2.3 Reviews

Most papers will be commissioned, but interested potential authors may submit a proposal that includes the topic, focus, and organization of the proposed submission. In either case, the organization of the manuscript will be determined by the authors and editors working together.

2.1.5.2.4 Other Manuscripts

Authors of Contemporary Issues in Practice, Education, & Research; Historical Neurology; and Viewpoint papers may organize the material as they consider is most appropriate, but editors may request changes to the organization if the paper is invited for revision.

2.1.6 Acknowledgment

Acknowledge collaborators who do not qualify as authors or coinvestigators but who contributed to the work being published, including those who have collected data; provided technical assistance; acquired funding; supervised personnel; contributed drugs, reagents, equipment, or study participants; or edited the manuscript for non-intellectual content. The list must include the contributors' affiliations and the specific contributions made by each. The Acknowledgment section is also a place for authors to thank individuals who have provided general advice or guidance, review of the manuscript, and technical help. For those helping in preparation of the manuscript, please specify how they assisted (e.g., performed substantive or technical editing, copyedited the manuscript, prepared tables or figures, or provided clerical assistance). The authors must have recieved permission from any named individuals to be included in the Acknowledgment. 

2.1.7 References

The Neurology journals follow the AMA Manual of Style for formatting references. The manuscript can be submitted if the references do not follow this style but if the paper is invited for revision, authors will have to revise to comply with this style. Most reference managers include this style as a standard feature.

  • Citations within text should appear in superscript and in numerical order.
  • The reference list corresponds with citation numbers and appears in numerical order.
  • References should not appear in the abstract.
  • A complete reference to a journal article includes the following items: List of all authors’ surnames and initials (list all authors if there are 6 or fewer; for 7 or more, list only the first 3 followed by "et al."); title and subtitle (if any); italicized name of the journal using the abbreviation listed in the NLM Catalog database; year or online publication date; volume number; issue number; location (pages or e-locator); and DOI (if provided).
  • Please consult the AMA Manual of Style and the examples below for the formatting of other citations (preprints, articles published in institutional repositories, books, and websites) and for unconventional journal citations.
  • Do not reference papers that are submitted to another journal; unpublished papers must be accepted and in press before they can be cited. Authors must provide "in-press" manuscripts clearly labeled as such by uploading them as supplemental files.
  • Do not cite the short format of Neurology articles; the full online article must be cited

Examples:

Journal Article (Print Issue)

Schindler SE, Bollinger JG, Ovod V, et al. High-precision plasma β-amyloid 42/40 predicts current and future brain amyloidosis. Neurology. 2019;93(17):e1647-e1659; doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000008081

Online Article (Accepted but Not Yet Appearing in an Issue)

Bryarly M, Raj SR, Phillips L, et al. Ganglionic acetylcholine receptor antibodies in postural tachycardia syndrome. Neurol Clin Pract. Published online January 29, 2021. doi:10.1212/CPJ.0000000000001047

Book

Meltzer PS, Kallioniemi A, Trent JM. Chromosome alterations in human solid tumors. In: Vogelstein B, Kinzler KW, eds. The Genetic Basis of Human Cancer. McGraw-Hill; 2002:93-113.


Website

Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Fact Sheet. National Institute on Aging. Updated December 24, 2019. Accessed December 6, 2020. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-disease-genetics-fact-sheet

2.1.8 Tables, Figures, and Videos

Review a recent issue of Neurology to plan the appropriate layout and size when preparing figures and tables. Number figures and tables in the order of their mention in the text. If the manuscript includes any previously published tables or figures, proof of permission from the copyright holder to republish a figure from any source is required. The permission form should be uploaded as a Supplemental File at the time of submission.

2.1.8.1 Tables

  • Use the table function in Microsoft Word and include with a title at the end of the manuscript.
  • Do not include patient names or initials.
  • Use reference numbers when citing articles.
  • Limit each to 1 legible manuscript page.
2.1.8.2 Figures
  • Maximum of 4 panels per figure (except images showing progression).
  • Limit each panel to 1 item.
  • For histology/pathology images, include scale bars with units or magnification in the legend.
  • Limit each to a legible 6.8-inch wide x 8.5-inch long size.
  • List titles and legends at the end of the manuscript.
2.1.8.3 Videos
  • Preferred video formats: .wmv; .mpg; .mov.
  • Limit file size to 20 MB.

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2.2 Additional Requirements for Clinical Trial Reports

2.2.1 Registration

For consideration for publication, the Neurology journals require prospective registration (before enrollment of the first patient) of clinical trials that began enrollment after July 1, 2005. Acceptable registries include ClinicalTrials.gov or any of the World Health Organization (WHO) primary trial registries.

Neurology journals use the WHO's definition of a clinical trial that was adopted by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE): "[a clinical trial is]…any research study that prospectively assigns human participants or groups of humans to one or more health-related interventions to evaluate the effects on health outcomes." Health-related interventions include any intervention used to modify a biomedical or health-related outcome (for example, drugs, surgical procedures, devices, behavioral treatments, dietary interventions, and process-of-care changes). Health outcomes include any biomedical or health-related measures obtained in patients or participants, including pharmacokinetic measures and adverse events.

When submitting primary or secondary clinical trial reports, include the name of the registry, the registration number, the date the registration was submitted to the registry, and the date of first patient enrollment at the end of the Abstract. In addition, in the Methods section of the manuscript, please include the dates of enrollment into the trial.

The Food and Drug Administration Amendment Acts of 2007 require mandatory results reporting for clinical trials. The Neurology journals, following the ICMJE policy, will not consider results posted in the same clinical trials registry in which the primary registration resides to be previous publication if the reporting complies with regulatory mandates. Authors who have posted results in ClinicalTrials.gov may refer to these results in their manuscript.

2.2.2 Reporting Guidelines

When preparing the report of a trial, use the most recent CONSORT Statement. Depending on the design of the trial, you may also have to use a relevant CONSORT extension. For all clinical trials, Figure 1 should be the CONSORT flow diagram. To help draft the abstract, use the CONSORT extension for abstracts. Please submit a copy of the completed checklist telling us where in the manuscript you addressed each item. In the cover letter, explain if any extensions were used. For additional information, refer to the Reporting Guidelines section.

2.2.3 Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

To support transparency and reproducibility for clinical trials, please include information related to the study protocol and the statistical analysis plan. In the cover letter, include whether the information is uploaded as a supplemental file(s) or previously published. If files are uploaded, please label and refer to files in the text as eSAP 1, eSAP 2. In addition, please add information to the end of the Methods Section. Examples are:

  • The study protocol and statistical analysis plan are available in eSAP 1.
  • The study protocol and statistical analysis plan are available in eSAP 1 and eSAP 2, respectively.
  • The study protocol and statistical analysis plan were published. 8  (add superscript citation and add to reference list).

These documents will be used in the review process and, if not previously published, will be posted as supplemental materials if the paper is accepted.


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2.3 Additional Requirements for Reports of Genetic Studies

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2.4 Classification of Evidence

Manuscripts that report on therapeutic interventions (clinical trial or use of medication, procedure, maneuver, or change in patient environment intended to benefit the patient) or diagnostic accuracy studies will have a classification of evidence (COE) review after revision. This assessment is conducted by an independent team affiliated with the AAN Guidelines Committee. This team will review, adjudicate, and assign a classification of evidence (COE) assigned to the primary question based on the latest versions of the AAN classification scheme requirements. Authors should not include a Classification of Evidence statement with submission. The details of the classification will be relayed to the author with the reviewers' comments after first revision. If aspects of the manuscript can be adjusted to raise the classification of evidence assignment, the authors should indicate so in the ”Response to Reviewers” letter when returning the revision. The final classification of evidence will be assigned by the Guidelines Committee team before final publication. 

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2.5 Short Form for the Print Version

Research Articles are published in full online and a short form appears in print. The online version of the journal is the final canonical version of the paper. Printing only a short form of the study allows authors a larger word limit for the online version. Authors of provisionally accepted papers will receive instructions and a format for preparing the short form of their papers prior to final acceptance. Do not submit a short form version of the paper with the initial submission.

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2.6 Statistics

Authors should describe the statistical methods with sufficient detail to enable a knowledgeable reader with access to the original data to judge its appropriateness for the study and to verify the reported results. Authors should review and follow the recommendations in “Basic Statistical Reporting for Articles Published in Biomedical: The ‘Statistical Analyses and Methods in the Published Literature’ or The SAMPL Guidelines” and “Reporting Statistical Information in Medical Journal Articles” when preparing their manuscript.

Authors reporting clinical trials or observational studies will be prompted at manuscript upload to indicate the specific author who carried out the biostatistical analysis and the author's academic, governmental, or commercial affiliation.

Due to growing concerns on the overuse and misinterpretation of p values, replace p values with estimates of effects or association, and corresponding 95% confidence intervals unless the protocol or the statistical analysis plan has specified methods to adjust for multiplicity of testing. Hence, a well-designed randomized or observational study will have a primary hypothesis for which a p value < 0.05 can be applied after adjustment for testing multiple endpoints associated with that primary hypothesis. The analysis of all secondary and other endpoints should focus on estimates and 95% confidence intervals. Please see NEJM editorial for detailed information.

In the Results section of the manuscript, the following evidence-based medicine statistics must be included for the manuscript to be forwarded for editorial review:

  • Confidence intervals
  • Numbers needed to treat
  • Absolute risk reduction

2.7 Pre-submission Worksheet

For convenience, there is an Pre-submission Worksheet available to assist with submission. This is not meant to replace the full instructions in the Author Center.

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3 Submitting the Manuscript

3.1 Forms and Materials Required at the Time of Submission

3.1.1 Cover letter

Every submission must be accompanied by a cover letter that includes the following information:

  • Manuscript title
  • Manuscript classification (e.g., Research Article, Clinical/Scientific Note)
  • Study type (e.g., case report, meta-analysis, narrative review) and the required reporting guideline provided
  • Notification if the article is null hypothesis Research Article (negative, inconclusive, or confirmatory studies). Neurology  collaborates with the Center for Biomedical Research Transparency and will identify these articles if published and add them to the current collection
  • Notification of any redundant or duplicate publication
  • A statement that one  author (the principal author or guarantor) takes full responsibility for the data, the analyses and interpretation, and the conduct of the research; that the author has full access to all of the data; and that the author has the right to publish any and all data separate and apart from any sponsor.
  • Author's declaration that all authors and contributors have agreed to conditions noted in the Authorship Policies
  • Submissions to the Humanities in Neurology category should include indication if submission is prose or poetry and whether it is fiction or non-fiction.

For some manuscripts, the following may be applicable and required:

  • Indication that the Methods section includes a statement that an IRB or regional review board has approved the use of humans for this study and list the name and number of the approving ethical board.
  • Indication that the author has received consent forms from any participant in a study and has them on file in case they are requested by the editor. For a retrospective analysis that is IRB-approved, state if approval from an ethical standards committee to conduct this study was received or documentation that the requirement for consent was waived or not required. If you are exempt from institutional board approval due to country, local, or institutional regulations, please state this and mention the locale and reason for exemption.
  • Indication that the author has received a consent-to-disclose form for any case report; for other articles types, consent-to-disclose forms are required for identifiable persons in a figure or video, as included in the Research Ethics and Informed Consent section.
  • For clinical trials, include the name where the study was registered, the registration number, the date of registration, and the dates of patient enrollment. In addition, author's statement of responsibility for clinical trial data and statement that the data results are required to be deposited in a clinical trials database (if applicable). It is the authors’ responsibility to deposit the results into the clinical trials database. See Clinical Trials Registration and Results Information Submission for more information.
  • For clinical trials, indicate whether the study protocol and the statistical analysis plan file(s) is/ are uploaded as a supplemental file(s) or if the material is previously published. See Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

In addition, authors may include a brief statement highlighting the main finding of the study and how these add to what is already known on the topic. This is an opportunity to put the findings into context and to highlight their value to the editors.

3.1.2 Title Page

The system will automatically generate a title page based on information provided during the submission process. Do not include a title page as the first page of the manuscript.

3.1.3 Supplemental Material

Upload text, tables, figures, references, reporting checklists, protocols and statistical analysis plans, consent-to-disclose forms, in-press articles, and videos that are not part of the main manuscript but are submitted for review as supplemental material. During the upload process, use file names and labels that will make it obvious what the file contains.

Submitting a New Paper, Revision, and Checking Status

Submit Manuscript

On or after March 1, 2023, new papers may only be submitted through our new tracking site.

If it is the corresponding author’s first time using the submission system, there will be a prompt to create a new account. Once a new account has been created, the author should enter the “Tasks Tab” and follow directions to submit a manuscript.

It is critical that the corresponding author includes correct email addresses for all authors when submitting the manuscript; doing so will prevent delays in notifications to authors at the appropriate times.

If the corresponding author does not complete the submission at one time, the manuscript will remain in the Corresponding author's Author Task Tab for completion. 

If the authors decide not to complete the submission, the corresponding author should choose "Withdraw Manuscript" under the "More Manuscript Info and Tools" section. 

Do not submit the same paper more than once.

Authors experiencing difficulty accessing the system should contact the editorial office for assistance: journal@neurology.org; 612-928-6400, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST, Monday through Friday.

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3.3 Submitting a Letter

Disputes & Debates, The Nerve (in Neurology: Clinical Practice), or Letters (Neurology: Genetics and Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation) cannot be submitted through our tracking system. To submit a Letter, access the specific article online and click on the "Comment" button at the top of the article page and follow the prompts.

3.4 Submitting an Editorial or Invited Commentary

Editorials may be requested via an invitation from the editors. If accepted, authors can submit through their Author Tasks Tab. The procedure for submission is the same as an unsolicited article.

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4 After Submission

4.1 Tracking the Status of a Manuscript

New manuscripts submitted on or after March 1, 2023 can be tracked in these sites. 

Manuscripts submitted prior to March 1, 2023 that were not transitioned to the new site can be tracked in these sites. 

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4.2 Submitting a Revision

Effective May 15 (12:00 AM ET), the Bench>Press system will be closed to revised manuscript submissions. Revisions must be uploaded into the new system (without exception). Access instructions for upload of your revision here. 

Only the corresponding author can submit a revised manuscript.

  • To submit a revised manuscript, access Author Area (or Author Tasks) and click on "Submit a revised manuscript." The original manuscript information will be pre-populated and can be edited.
  • Authors will be required to upload the revised manuscript files beginning with the abstract. A title page will be automatically generated.
  • In addition to the revised manuscript file(s), the authors must provide a detailed point-by-point response to the reviewers' comments and a version of the manuscript with changes tracked to facilitate re-review (to be uploaded as a supplemental file). Address all concerns through revisions or a convincing rebuttal.
  • The corresponding author must alert and provide an explanation to the editorial office if there is any change in authorship status (addition, omission, or change in author order). See the Changes in Authorship After Submission section.

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4.3 Forms Needed at the Provisional Acceptance Stage

The following forms will be required from all authors if the paper is provisionally accepted. Authors will be provided a link to the forms at the appropriate time. If they do not have an existing account, authors must create a Bench>Press account to access the forms.

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5 Journal Policies

5.1 Authorship

5.1.1 Definitions

Author

The Neurology journals define an author as a person who has made a substantive intellectual contribution to the submitted manuscript. Authors should be aware that this definition differs from that used by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

A substantive contribution includes 1 or more of the following:

  • Design or conceptualization of the study
  • or major role in the acquisition of data
  • or analysis or interpretation of the data
  • -or drafting or revising the manuscript for intellectual content

Professional writers employed by pharmaceutical companies or other academic, governmental, or commercial entities who have drafted or revised the intellectual content of the paper must be included as authors. "Guest" or "honorary" authorship based solely on position (e.g., research supervisor, department head) is not permitted.

Coinvestigator

The Neurology journals define a coinvestigator as a person who does not meet the criteria for authorship of a study, but who acted as a coinvestigator or study coordinator for a multicenter trial.

Simply acting as a coinvestigator or study coordinator for a multicenter study does not constitute authorship. Contributions such as supporting the study, contributing materials or participants, general supervision of study personnel, technical assistance, or collecting data do not in themselves constitute authorship. Authorship implies that an individual has made a substantial intellectual contribution to the study.

Contributor

The Neurology journals define a contributor as a person who does not meet the criteria for authorship of the study, but who has contributed in other ways, such as collection of data; technical assistance; acquisition of funding; supervision of personnel; contribution of drugs, reagents, equipment, or participants; or editing the manuscript for nonintellectual content.

Principal Investigator or Guarantor

One author, the principal investigator or guarantor, must have access to all the data and take responsibility for the data, accuracy of the data analysis, and the conduct of the research.

Corresponding Author

The corresponding author is responsible for all communications with the journals throughout the review process, including ensuring that all authors have approved the final submitted version, revised versions before they are submitted, and the final-accepted version of the manuscript. Once designated in the system, the corresponding author cannot be changed (see Changes in Authorship after Submission section). The corresponding author is also responsible for determining which individuals meet criteria for authorship.

It is the responsibility of the authors of a manuscript to designate only 1 corresponding author, determine author order, and decide which persons in the study are authors and which are contributors according to the journals’ criteria. Please note that the author list/author order must be finalized prior to first submission. Author addition, omission, or change in author order will require additional documentation, as detailed in the Changes in Authorship After Submission section.

5.1.2 Identifying Authors, Coinvestigators, and Contributors

Authors

Manuscripts submitted for publication must list all authors, including the person who drafted the original manuscript. Neurology considers ghostwriting (undisclosed authorship) unethical. All those qualifying for authorship must give final approval of the version to be published and take responsibility for the conduct and reporting of the research.

All those qualifying for authorship must indicate their contributions to the article (and on the Authorship Agreement form should the manuscript reach provisional acceptance). Upon upload, the corresponding author will be prompted to include this information. If accepted, the publisher will compose the author list with contributions as “Appendix 1” before the reference section.

There will be a prompt on the upload pages to note common first authors, if applicable.

All authors must complete the Authorship Agreement form, the Disclosure Agreement form, and the Publication Agreement form if the manuscript reaches provisional acceptance. If an author's employer is the federal government, the author must indicate this in the appropriate place on the Publication Agreement form. If an author has participated in the study as a Work-made-for-hire, that author’s institution/company should provide a transfer of copyright to the AAN.

Coinvestigators

The Corresponding Author also takes responsibility for listing coinvestigators (who do not qualify for authorship) in a tabular formatted "Appendix 2” titled “Coinvestigators” at the end of the manuscript before the references. The contributors (who do not qualify for authorship) should be in the Acknowledgment section. Appendix 2 is excluded from total word count. An example is provided below.

Appendix 2 Example: Coinvestigators

Name

Location

Role

Contribution

John Agate, MD

Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville

Director of Coordinating Center

Led and coordinated communication among sites

Barbara L. Nieman, MD, PhD

NIH, Bethesda

Site Investigator

Coordinated imaging for site

Alex Shanahan, MD

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore

Site investigator

Performed biostatistical review of results

Any members of a study group who qualify as authors according to the Neurology journals’ authorship criteria must be listed individually in the author byline, and the name of the study group entity should appear at the end of the byline after the words "for," "on behalf of,.." or “and other individuals in…” (see the Group Authorship section). These authors will be required to complete author forms should the manuscript reach provisional acceptance. Members of study groups who do not qualify as authors should not be listed individually in the byline and will not be required to complete forms.

Disclosures for coinvestigators are not published. Although coinvestigators are not required to submit disclosures, the corresponding author should be aware of any disclosures that they may have.

Coinvestigators for multicenter trials who do not meet the criteria for authorship must be listed in a coinvestigator appendix, including name, degree(s), location and role(s), and contributions formatted as shown below. The Neurology journals will not publish links to websites listing coinvestigators or contributors.

Contributor

Contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship must be listed in the Acknowledgment section with roles and affiliations in parentheses.

Disclosures for contributors are not published. Although contributors are not required to submit disclosures, the corresponding author should be aware of any disclosures that they may have.

5.1.3 Group Authorship

5.1.3.1 Groups in Which All Members Qualify as Authors
  • Every member of the group is an author and fulfills the Neurology journals’ criteria for authorship (see 5.1.1 Definitions).
  • All members of the group complete authorship, disclosure, and publication agreement forms.
  • The byline will list all authors with the addition of “as the [group name]” at the end.
  • The short form byline (published in print) will include the names of the first 3 authors with the addition of  “as the [group name].” 
  • The Appendix 1 titled “Authors” will be composed by the publisher, and will include the name, degree(s), location(s), and contribution(s) to the study/paper of each author. PubMed will index these individuals as authors
  • Any other contributors should be listed in the Acknowledgment section with roles and affiliations in parentheses.
5.1.3.2 Groups in Which Some Members Qualify as Authors and Others Qualify as Coinvestigators or Contributors
  • Authors represent the group; some members of the group are considered authors and others are considered coinvestigators or contributors (see 5.1.1 Definitions).
  • The byline will list all those who qualified as authors with the addition of “for the [group name]” in the byline.
  • The short form byline (published in print) will include the names of the first 3 authors with the addition of “for the [group name]” at the end.
  • The Appendix 1 titled “Authors” will be composed by the publisher and will include the name, degree(s), location(s), and contribution(s) to the study/paper of each author. PubMed will index these individuals as authors.
  • If any members qualify as coinvestigators, the authors should submit a tabular Appendix 2 titled “Coinvestigators.” Include name, degree(s), location(s), role(s), and contribution(s) to the study/paper of each coinvestigator. PubMed will index these individuals as collaborators.
  • Any other contributors, in the group or not, should be listed in the Acknowledgment section with roles and affiliations in parentheses.

5.1.4 Changes in Authorship After Submission

The corresponding author must alert and provide an explanation to the editorial office if there is any change in authorship status (addition, omission, or author order) after manuscript submission. The corresponding author must request and gather letters of agreement from all authors of the manuscript including the author who is being added or omitted. At revision, these statements should be uploaded as supplemental files in the online system.

5.1.5 Author Name Changes After Publication

The Neurology journals are committed to ensuring inclusivity for all authors and will change an author’s name on their published article(s) upon request by the author. Please follow the instructions for author name change requests.

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5.2 Conflicts of Interest and Disclosure

The Neurology journals comply with the position of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) on "Conflict of Interest." Conflict of interest (COI) for authors is defined as "financial and other conflicts of interest that might bias their work."

At upload of submission, the corresponding author will be prompted to disclose all authors' financial relationships deemed relevant to the manuscript. If a manuscript is accepted, each author will be required to submit Authorship, Disclosure, and Publication agreement forms. Members of a group who do not meet the criteria for authorship are not required to fill out these agreements.

Disclosure forms required at the time of acceptance must include all financial relationships (and those of immediate family members) from the past 2 years, regardless of whether these relationships are related to the study described in the submitted manuscript. If the study period of the submitted manuscript exceeds 2 years, then financial relationships that span the years of the study must also be disclosed. Failure to reveal all pertinent information constitutes a breach of publication ethics and will result in consequences. Note that after an author has completed the disclosure form for a manuscript, the form is accessible from the Personal Information area in the manuscript tracking system for updating at any time.

Although complete disclosure is required on the online form and displayed in the online publication, the manuscript itself must contain all disclosures deemed to be relevant to the submitted manuscript. Authors should err on the side of more complete disclosure if there is a question about which disclosures are relevant.

Editors must also comply with these policies and provide yearly disclosures that are publicly available on the website. By accepting an assignment to review, reviewers confirm that they do not have any relevant conflicts of interest related to the paper.

Sample disclosure statement (title page)

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5.3 Scientific Misconduct and Breaches of Publication Ethics

The Neurology journals are members of, and subscribe to the principles of, the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Scientific misconduct includes fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism by the authors.

Breaches of publication ethics include failure to reveal financial conflicts of interest, omitting a deserving author or adding a non-contributing author, misrepresenting publication status in the reference list (erroneously claiming that a paper is "in-press"), self-plagiarism without attribution, and duplicate or redundant publication.

Plagiarism is the use of others’ ideas or words without properly crediting the source. If authors include 1 or more sentences verbatim from another source, the original source must be cited, and the sentence(s) put in quotation marks to avoid plagiarism. Authors must not use materials of others (text, figures, images, tables) without permission and attribution, including their own published work. See Miguel Roig, “Avoiding plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and other questionable writing practices: A guide to ethical writing."

Redundant or duplicate publication is publication of data, tables, figures, or any other content that substantially overlaps with other material published previously or to be published in the future. This includes work published by any author of the manuscript submitted to the Neurology journals. When submitting a paper, the corresponding author must make a full statement to the editor-in-chief in the cover letter about all submissions and previous reports (in any language) that could be regarded as redundant or duplicate publication of the same or very similar work. The corresponding author is also responsible for alerting the editor-in-chief if the work includes subjects about which a previous report has been published or about a manuscript that is under review by, submitted to, in press at, or to be submitted to another journal. Any such work must be referred to and referenced in the new paper and a copy of the material should be included with the submission as a supplemental file. Abstracts presented at scientific meetings, materials posted on preprint servers (if editors are properly notified), and data provided as required to clinical trial registries are not considered pre-published material.

The Neurology journals use iThenticate, a software tool that checks for overlap in submitted manuscripts. iThenticate detects possible plagiarism or redundant publication in text using an extensive database of published materials. Manuscripts with excessive duplication will be rejected.

Editorial action should be expected in cases of scientific misconduct and in breaches of publication ethics. Any and all authors submitting a manuscript agree to adhere to the ethical guidelines contained in the Author Center and acknowledge that they are aware of the consequences that may result following misconduct or breaches of publication ethics.

Consequences include retraction of published articles, notification of the misconduct or breach in the journal, notification of institutional authorities or funding agencies and subsequent investigations, and loss of privileges of publishing in the journal.

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5.4 Research Ethics and Informed Consent

The Neurology journals require all studies involving human participants to follow global ethical standards for research. For US authors, information is available from the Office for Research Protections: https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/regulations-and-policy/index.html. Editors and reviewers are apprised of guidelines and principles that are the framework of conducting ethical research. Breaches of ethics carry serious consequences.

5.4.1 Ethics Board Approval

All studies involving human participants must be approved by local, regional, or institutional authorities where studies are conducted. This approval must be stated in the cover letter of the submission and within a subsection of the Methods section titled: Standard Protocol Approvals, Registrations, and Patient Consents. If the study is exempt from ethics board review board approval, or if the board waived the need for informed consent, state this in the manuscript. The name of the approving board must be included in the manuscript.

5.4.2 Informed Consent for Participation in Research Studies

Authors must comply with laws and regulations within their jurisdiction concerning the privacy and security of personal patient information. Authors of research papers must include a statement in a subsection of the Methods titled “Standard Protocol Approvals, Registrations, and Patient Consents.” Authors must state that patients or their legally authorized representative consented to participate in the study, or that an ethics board (that must be identified by name) approved the study and, if applicable, granted a waiver for consent.

5.4.3 Consent to Disclose for Publication of Case Reports or Case Series

Authors of case reports describing individual patients must obtain written informed consent-to-disclose from all patients and other individuals presented in the manuscript (even if there is no figure/ patient image included). Permission must be obtained from the individual or, if they are unable to provide their consent, from their legally authorized representative. Authors of case series, whose data are reported in aggregate, do not need to provide consent-to-disclose forms. However, if the case series includes case details or vignettes that may contain identifying characteristics, patient consent forms must be submitted.

The Neurology journals are mindful of protecting the privacy and civil rights of children. Authors of studies that include children will require parental consent and the child must also agree (provide assent) if older than 7 years of age. The Neurology journals’ consent-to-disclose form makes a provision for this fully informed consent from minors.

For non-case reports, a consent-to-disclose form must be provided to the editorial office for any figure or video of a person’s face, body, or any body part that is identifiable. An identifiable figure includes the face, body, or any portion of the face or body that could be recognizable to that person themselves or another person. This includes any anomaly (rash, scar, lesion, tattoo, birthmark, hair pattern) on the part of the body being photographed. For video recordings, recognizable voice, unusual bodily affect or gait would be recognizable and a consent-to-disclose form is required at submission. The editors reserve the final right to determine identifiability in a figure or video. Patients must be informed that consent for publication includes all media (including print and online, social media, re-use in other products, and future media). If signed forms only include use for educational and research purposes, the manuscript will be returned to the authors. Neurology recommends the use of the Neurology journals’ consent-to-disclose form as it fulfills the requirements of fully informed consent and upholds the rights of the individual. Any identifying information (e.g., individual’s name, initials, hospital name, medical record number, social security number, date of birth) must be removed from all images including brain images, ultrasounds, and pathology slides. For images of faces, do not blur or black out eyes as consent-to-disclose is still required at submission.

Please note that the signing and submission of this form does not violate the the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) related to patient privacy because this is not consent for treatment or consent to participate in clinical trials. The consent-to-disclose form is never shown to the public—it is confidentially archived.

Translations of consent-to-disclose forms are available.

5.4.4 Animal Studies

Authors must comply with the guidelines of the ICMJE with regard to experiments on animals. Authors must indicate in the cover letter and the Methods section that the procedures comply with the institutional and national guide for the care and use of laboratory animals.

5.5 Data Availability and Access

5.5.1 Full Data Access and Statements

The Neurology journals require that the Principal Author has full access to the data used in the analyses in the manuscript. The Neurology journals require the Principal Author or Guarantor to declare in the Authorship Agreement form that they take full responsibility for the data, the analyses and interpretation, and the conduct of the research; that they have full access to all of the data; and that they have the right to publish any and all data, separate and apart from the guidance of any sponsor. These data access statements must also be made in the cover letter.

5.5.2 Data Availability Policy and Statement

The Neurology journals have adopted the ICMJE requirement that all articles reporting results of clinical trials contain a data availability statement, and this is extended to all research article types. The Data Availability statement should indicate whether individual de-identified participant data will be shared; what data will be shared; whether related documents such as study protocol and statistical analysis plan will be shared; when and how long the data will be made available; and criteria for accessing data, including by whom, for what types of analyses, and by what mechanisms. The statement should appear at the end of the Methods section in a subsection titled, “Data Availability.” If data cannot be shared for legal or ethical reasons or if there are embargoes on datasets, authors must inform the editors at submission and explain the restrictions on the dataset or materials. Examples of acceptable data availability statements include but are not limited to:

  • “Anonymized data not published within this article will be made available by request from any qualified investigator.”
  • “Data not provided in the article because of space limitations may be shared (anonymized) at the request of any qualified investigator for purposes of replicating procedures and results.”
  • “Qualified researchers may obtain access to all de-identified imaging data in the biomarkers registry used for this study (http://www.ad-biomarker-download.pdf)”
  • “Investigators may request access to anonymized individual patient data and redacted trial documents including raw datasets, analysis-ready datasets, trial protocols, annotated case report form, statistical analysis plan, dataset specifications, and clinical trial report 20 months after trial is complete. Prior to use of the data, proposals need to be approved by an independent review panel at www.clinicaltrialsett.com and a signed data sharing agreement will then be approved. All documents are for a predetermined time, typically 12 months.”
  • “The anonymized patient data and related clinical trial study documents are not being publicly shared as they are being utilized for the development of a randomized Phase III trial (OEG 9981X7). All data and related documentation underlying the reported results will be made available after anonymization of patient information. Data will be made available after publication of this article and up to 4 years after publication. The authors will share the data with qualified investigators whose proposal of data use has been approved by an independent review committee.”

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5.6 Open Access

The mechanism of Open Access (OA) allows unrestricted access to online readers; dependent on the license applied, it also dictates the terms of use after publication.

Neurology and Neurology:Clinical Practice are subscription journals with hybrid (optional) open access; if open access is pursued, payment or qualified waiver of an article processing charge (APC) is required. Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation and Neurology: Genetics are are gold open access journals, requiring payment or qualified waiver of an article processing charge (APC) for publication. Neurology: Education is a diamond open access journal, providing open access through funding by the American Academy of Neurology.

Please visit Wolters Kluwer, publisher of the Neurology journals, for further open access information:

Queries can be sent to OA-Support@wolterskluwer.com.

5.6.1 Open Access and Low- and Middle-Income Economies

Neurology: Genetics  and Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation offer full or partial equitable waivers for accepted articles from low-income and middle-income economies. Eligibility is based on the Research4Life eligibility criteria. Countries listed in Group A are eligible for the full waiver and countries listed in Group B are eligible for the partial (50%) waiver. The waiver is automatically applied based on the Corresponding Author's country information provided during submission. To determine your eligibility, visit the Research4Life criteria.

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5.7 Funder Mandates

Authors must acknowledge explicitly in the text of their research articles the funding source of the research and, if applicable, their institutional affiliation with the appropriate agency. They must also check any applicable employers or funders of the Work on the Publication Agreement form if the manuscript reaches provisional acceptance.

Wolters Kluwer (WK), publisher of Neurology journals, will submit an electronic version, on behalf of the authors, of the final published article of any study funded by NIH (or in which any of the authors are funded by NIH) to PubMed Central (PMC) for publication 12 months after print or online publication (whichever is first) in Neurology or Neurology: Clinical Practice. The authorization is a non-exclusive license only for the purpose stated in the NIH Public Access Policy. The AAN reserves all rights not specifically granted in this non-exclusive license. Further information on the NIH Public Access Policy is available at: http://publicaccess.nih.gov/.

WK will submit, on behalf of the authors, an electronic version of the author accepted manuscript of any study funded by Austrian Science Foundation, Canadian Institute for Health Research, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, NIH, and World Bank to PMC 12 months after print or online publication (whichever is first). Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UKRI [formerly known as RCUK], Swedish Research Council, Telethon Italy, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) [UK] and Wellcome Trust/ COAF Partners authors: please see applicable funder policies on the Wolters Kluwer funder list page.

Neurology will permit authors to deposit their final published article (not the author accepted manuscript) in institutional repositories if required by the author’s institution or funder

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5.8 Journal Accountability

5.8.1 Ombudsman

The Neurology journals have an ombudsman who acts as a mediator between authors and the editorial office. The ombudsman can investigate editorial processes such as delays in peer review, challenges to publication ethics, and cases of editorial bias. The ombudsman will address the editorial process and will not handle complaints about the substance of editorial decisions, criticisms regarding editorial content, or accusations of scientific misconduct. The complainant should contact the editorial office first to resolve the problem. If the complaint is not resolved by contacting the editorial office, the complainant may contact the ombudsman: Jonathan W. Mink, MD, PhD, FAAN, Department of Neurology, University of Rochester, e-mail: jonathan_mink@urmc.rochester.edu.

5.8.2 Scientific Integrity Advisor

The scientific integrity officer advises the editor-in-chief when issues of scientific misconduct are alleged or under investigation. The current scientific integrity advisor is David Knopman, MD, FAAN.

5.8.3 Corrections

The Neurology journals adhere to the National Library of Medicine’s policy on errata. To report a potential error in published material, please contact the editorial office.

5.8.4 Appeals to Editorial Decisions

Authors who wish to appeal editorial decisions should submit a letter explaining the rationale for the appeal and how they will address the comments of the reviewers and editors. Appeals rarely lead to changes in the decisions, which are often based on editorial priorities.

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5.9 Publication Policies Not Addressed Elsewhere

5.9.1 Preprints

Neurology journals will consider articles that are posted to preprint servers (e.g., medRxiv), but this fact must be disclosed in the cover letter at submission. If the manuscript is accepted, the corresponding author is responsible for reporting the publication details to the preprint server administrators. Authors cannot make changes to the preprint version based on Neurology journal reviewer comments. Authors cannot post papers to pre-print servers after acceptance. Papers that have been posted to a preprint server will not be selected for a press release by Neurology Editors. 

If authors post their paper to a preprint server after submitting it to a Neurology journal, they must inform us (journal@neurology.org) within 48 hours of uploading the preprint. If a posted pre-print is discovered without authors having notified the Journal, the Editors will consider the manuscript a duplicate publication, resulting in rejecting of the article. 

5.9.2 Embargo

Embargo is the prohibition of releasing findings in a submitted or accepted paper to the public until after the article has been published (either online or in print) for copyright reasons. Prior to publication, authors may not reveal that the paper is under consideration at any Neurology journal when presenting at scientific meetings, or release information to the press, and must ensure that other organizations or institutions have been instructed of this policy. Exceptions to the embargo policy can be made at the editor's discretion for papers presented at AAN Annual Meetings or in situations in which the article describes major medical advances deemed critical to public health. Please note that the journals cannot guarantee that journal processes will be expedited to meet deadlines for presentation at other meetings. Consequences include notification of the breach in the journal, retraction of published articles, notification of institutional authorities, subsequent institutional investigation, and loss of privileges of publishing in the journal.

  • Articles appearing in Neurology and Neurology: Clinical Practice, are embargoed for release to the public until 4:00 PM ET on the day of online publication.
  • Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation, Neurology: Education, and Neurology: Genetics are online-only journals and articles are published on a continuous basis; findings are embargoed until 4:00 PM ET on the day of online publication.

Credentialed representatives of the press may request further information about embargoed Neurology, Neurology: Clinical Practice, Neurology: Education, Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation, and Neurology: Genetics articles, including advance copies of articles and help coordinating interviews with researchers, by contacting the AAN Media and Public Relations department: Renee Tessman at RTessman@aan.com.

View AAN post-embargo press releases at https://www.aan.com/pressroom/.

5.9.3 Rejected Manuscripts

Rejection decisions are final. If the corresponding author approved a lateral transfer to one of the other Neurology journals (Neurology: Clinical Practice, Neurology: Genetics, or Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation) at submission, and the transfer does not occur, the rejection also applies to the journal approved for lateral transfer.

5.9.4 Permissions

Non-open Access Articles

Authors must submit written permission from the copyright owner (usually the publisher) to use direct quotations, tables, or illustrations that have appeared in copyright form elsewhere, along with complete details about the source. Any permissions fees that might be required by the copyright owner are the responsibility of the authors requesting use of the borrowed material, not the responsibility of Wolters Kluwer or the Neurology editorial office.

US copyright law states that limited copying of copyrighted works is allowed without permission of the copyright holder for classroom teaching and research (with full attribution to the journal). (Section 107 of US Copyright Law)

To request permission for reuse of Neurology content, select the Permissions button on the Neurology.org article webpage to access Rightslink®, where you will be directed to choose an option for reusing content. Please note: Permission will not be granted to adapt figures that have been previously published in the journals.

Neurology does not permit releasing copyright-protected papers on ResearchGate, Sci-Hub, or other online author sharing sites.

Open Access Articles

Authors retain copyright when they opt to publish via the open access option. Papers (including the tables/figures within) with a Creative Commons license CC-BY-NC-ND (noncommercial/nonderivative) may be reproduced with permission from the author and must be attributed to the author and the journal. They cannot be reproduced in any way for commercial use.

Open access articles published with a CC-BY license may be re-used for any purpose (including commercial) without requesting permission from the author or the journal. Content re-use must be attributed to the author and the journal.

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