It is a great pleasure to invite you to attend the XXIII European Stroke Conference, which
will be held in Nice, France for the second time from 6 – 9 May 2014.
France has a special connection with stroke, since French clinicians and neurologists
contributed to the field of cerebrovascular diseases as early as the beginning of the
19th century. Among many pioneering works are the first description by Rostan of
the “ramolissement cérébral” (cerebral softening), as a special anatomoclinic entity
distinct from encephalitis and (haemorrhagic) apoplexy, the emergence of the concept
of lacunar infarction and the introduction of the term of “lacune” thanks to the studies
of Dechambre, Durand-Fardel and Marie, the description by Charcot of the well-known
aneurysms of Charcot-Bouchard, the first modern anatomic studies of the cerebral
arteries by Duret, and the major contibution of Foix to the anatomy and supply of the
major cerebral arteries, the distribution of softenings, and the clinical signs related to
the lesions.
ESC 2014 will take place at the Nice Acropolis Convention Center located in the heart of
Nice. The city occupies an exceptional natural site on the Côte d’Azur looking onto
the sea and the magnificent curve of the Baie des Anges with wooded hills and the
Alps forming the backdrop. Not only renowned for its grace and exceptional light and
climate, Nice is also a city of art and culture. The city has a rich architectural heritage
from the baroque style dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries, the opulent style of
the Belle Epoque dating back to the 19th and early 20th centuries, such as the Negresco
hotel on the promenade des Anglais, to contemporary architecture with buildings such
as the “tête au carré” housing the city library. The city also offers numerous museums,
in particular the Museum of Modern and Comtemporary Art, whose collections are built
around the French and American avant-garde from the 60s to the present.
The European Stroke Conference is a unique opportunity for everyone interested in
stroke to update their knowledge on a wide range of topics. Accordingly, the
conference attracts more and more delegates from all over the world. The scientific
and the programme committees will do their best to prepare an outstanding scientific
programme, based on a rigorous peer review process, to make of the Nice ESC 2014 a
great success and a prestigious event focussing on the most recent advances in stroke
cerebrovascular diseases.
Michael G. Hennerici
on behalf of the ESC Programme Committee