Brief history
The International Conference on Neuroprotective Agents (ICNA) began thanks to the foresight and dedication of Drs. William Slikker, Jr. and Bruce Trembly. The initial ICNA meeting was held in Rockland, Maine, in 1991, with meetings held every other year since 1994 at various venues in the U.S. – and also in Lake Como, Italy (1996), Quebec, Canada (2012), Bilbao, Spain 2016), and Cluj, Romania (2022).
ICNA Mission & Vision
The purpose of the ICNA is to bring together clinical and basic science researchers from many countries and disciplines in a common forum to address various approaches to neuroprotection. The atmosphere is intentionally relaxed and informal in order to foster the free exchange of ideas and concepts among the participants. Virtually all registrants give either an oral or poster presentation, and informal discussions are an integral part of each session. The conferences have been held in relatively small venues to encourage interaction among the participants outside of the formal sessions, e.g. during meals, receptions, outings, and spontaneous evening discussions.
Conference Structure
The 2026 ICNA begins with a welcoming reception Saturday evening. Oral presentations begin Sunday morning, with morning and afternoon sessions. On Monday there are morning presentations followed by a group outing Monday afternoon and evening at a local scenic site and restaurant. On Tuesday there are morning presentations prior to conference conclusion at mid-day. There are no parallel sessions so all participants can appreciate all presentations, with interdisciplinary discussions. Each session typically has presentations on a common topic or theme in neuroprotection; a panel discussion with questions from the other participants concludes each session. An integral poster session is held to foster maximal involvement by all participants.
ICNA Proceedings
The proceedings of the second through ninth ICNA conferences were published in the series Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. The proceedings of the tenth ICNA conference were published in the American Journal of Neuroprotection and Neuroregeneration. The proceedings of the most recent ICNA Conference have been published in Molecular Neurobiology and Experimental Biology and Medicine.