Call for Abstracts | CNSF Congress

2025 CNSF Congress | MONDAY to thursday, JUNE 9 - 12

Rogers Centre and Fairmont Château Laurier Hotel, OTTAWA

Most of the 2025 CNSF Congress courses and sessions will be held at Ottawa's ROGERS Centre with the exception of the Pre-Congress Residents Courses which will be at the Fairmont Château Laurier Hotel. Check the 'CNSF Congress' 2025 Event App / Website, signage and/or emails for specific locations - coming soon.

2025 Abstract Submissions - NOW OPEN Submit by January 31

Please review all details on this page. Weblink to submit your abstract below.

The CNSF Congress continues to be the premier Canadian Congress for Neurologists, Neurosurgeons, Pediatric Neurologists, Neurophysiologists, Neuroradiologists and Neuroscientists. By submitting your work to our Congress, you gain the opportunity to disseminate your work across the entire spectrum of clinical neurosciences, as we are the only Congress to bridge the disciplines of our six member societies.

We look forward to having you with us in Ottawa!

IMPORTANT DATES

In order to provide delegates with the most complete and accurate program, we must adhere to all deadlines noted below.  The onsite program and CJNS Abstract supplement are created based on final abstracts and Congress participants.

Abstract Submission Guidelines

Rules for Preparation of Abstracts

• Authors are invited to submit an abstract, on or before January 31, 2025 - 11:59 PM PT. No extensions to this date will be provided.
• Each abstract should consist of four separate paragraphs. These should be labeled Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusions. Each abstract should, briefly and concisely, describe the problem or issue being addressed, how the study was performed, the salient results or findings, and what the authors conclude from these results.
• Research presented in abstracts must conform to MRC guidelines for experimental procedures. All investigations involving humans and animals reported in CNSF publications must be conducted in conformity with these principles.
• Abstracts are not to exceed 200 words, excluding title and authors. (tables are not permitted)
• Abstract titles are restricted to 140 characters.
• Conflict of Interest: The CNSF requires presenting authors to declare any conflicts of interest by completing the online form within the abstract submission system.
• The CNSF Congress will accept encore abstracts. You will be asked to disclose if the abstract has been previously presented / published during the submission process.
• Abstracts will be graded for quality. Primary authors are limited to 5 submissions and Contributing authors may be recognized on no more than 10 submissions.
• International submissions are accepted however, authors must adhere to the same submission and registration deadlines as all others.  International delegates are expected to have their travel visa and any other documents required to leave their country and enter Canada, well in advance.  The CNSF does not issue letters of invitation.  Registration refunds are not granted due to inability to attend.  Any associated work will not be included in the program.

VALUABLE SOCIETY PRIZES available to abstract submitters.

CNSF members who submit an ‘Abstract’ to the Congress as well as an ‘Expanded Abstract’ for a Society Prize have the opportunity to Win a cash award, full Congress registration and travel reimbursement. Each valued at approximately $2500. Additional prize awards available. Submit by January 31, 2025.

If you are interested in submitting an 'Expanded Abstract' for a Society Prize learn more here:

Call for Society Prizes | CNSF Congress

Instructions for Online Abstract Submissions

• Please have full contact information for the submitting author and all potential presenting authors.
• Spell out all unusual abbreviations in full.
• When ready to submit, click on the online 'Abstract submission site' link below.
• Detailed instructions are available on the submission site as well as a full help menu and contact email for the Abstract Manager.
• On completion of your submission, you will receive a confirmation by email. If you do not receive an email within 12 hours, please contact cnsf@scolars.com.
• Acceptance notices will be sent by e-mail shortly after March 19. If you have not received a notice by the end of March, please check the status of your abstract by logging back into the abstract submission website or contact cnsf@scolars.com.
• You must Register for the Congress by April 30 or your abstract will be removed from the program.

Questions on abstract submissions, please contact: cnsf@scolars.com

All abstracts must be submitted online - No paper submissions will be accepted

*After the close, you will be able to view or withdraw abstracts, and edit your contact details, but you will not be able to edit your abstracts.

How Abstracts are Judged and Assigned

Abstracts submitted by January 31 will be reviewed in February. Notification of acceptance and schedule information will be sent out by e-mail shortly after March 19. Abstracts will be judged on a scale of 1 to 4 according to certain criteria:

1. Impact and relevance
2. Scope, experience and research team
3. Significance of findings and results
4. Comprehensiveness and written quality of abstract

Abstract reviewers are asked to make a global “accept” recommendation; although, final responsibility for abstract acceptance to the Congress will rest with the Scientific Program Committee.

Assigning Abstracts to Sessions

The Scientific Program Committee assigns papers to sessions on substantive grounds to make the scientific program as strong and attractive as possible.

e-Poster Presentations

• Most abstracts will be accepted as an electronic poster presentation and will present during the Poster Moderated Sessions on either Monday, June 9 or Wednesday, June 11.

Platform Presentations

• A number of abstracts will be selected for a platform presentation and will present during the Society Mini-Platform session, Thursday, June 12 between 8:00-9:00 am ET.
• Authors that have been awarded a Society Prize for an “Expanded Abstract” submission, will present as a platform presentation during the Grand Rounds, Thursday, June 12 between 9:00-12-00 pm ET. Please refer to the Call for Society Prizes for details and requirements.

PRESENTATION FORMATS

*Patient material that is presented must be completely anonymized with no identifiers, include require written informed consent and REB approval where applicable.

e-Poster Presentation

Authors with abstracts selected for electronic poster presentations, will be emailed the date of their e-poster presentation, a 'Poster Construction Link' and instructions for preparing and submitting their e-poster using an online template by the end of April. If you have not received the link or require additional assistance, please contact cnsf@scolars.com.

Poster presenters will have the opportunity to showcase their electronic poster to CNSF Congress delegates at multiple large screen viewing stations available for the duration of the Congress.

• Presenting authors will receive a designated time for stand-by poster presentation which allows for 4 minutes of oral presentation and 2 minutes for questions, review and discussion.

• The e-poster submission site will open on April 16, and close on May 28, 2025.

On-site digital posters will be available in an online format for all Congress delegates.

Electronic Poster Construction

A electronic poster looks much like a paper poster, except that it is displayed on-site on a large format HDTV. There is an on-screen menu system, so that users can search by author, title and subject.

In order to display the posters, and provide a reliable and consistent experience for the viewer, we need a standardized file format, so we ask the presenter to build their poster on our web site, using provided poster templates.

Platform Presentation

Authors with abstracts selected for a platform presentation, will be emailed instructions for preparing and submitting their presentation by the end of April. If you have not received an email or require additional assistance, please contact cnsf@scolars.com.

Platform presenters will have the opportunity to present their work to CNSF Congress delegates at a designated time during the CNSF Congress.

• Presenting authors selected for a Society Mini-platform presentation will be allocated 7 minutes of speaking time. There will be a 15-minute session Q&A following the last speaker.

• Presenting authors selected for a platform presentation during the Grand Rounds Session will be allocated 6 minutes of speaking time, and 2 minutes for questions, review and discussion.

• Computers are supplied in each presentation room. Data projection provided - widescreen format 16:9 ratio.

• Authors will be responsible for delivery of their PowerPoint presentations to the Speaker Ready Room onsite - 3 hours before their scheduled presentation time.

Accepted Abstracts

Accepted abstracts will be published in the Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences.

Abstract Supplements | CNSF Congress

2024 CNSF Congress Abstract Supplement

Accepted Abstracts - 2024 CNSF Congress - Volume 51 - Supplement s1 - June 2024

CONGRESS Registration

All authors selected to present at the Congress must register by April 30. Authors not registered by that date will have their presentations pulled from all Congress publications and onsite activities.

Congress Registration / Hotel

Abstract Subject Categories

Authors are asked to carefully select the Primary category and then the Secondary category to best describe your abstract submission.

 Abstract Review Criteria

4 – Exceptional

• • RCT: local, national or international
  • Clinical or basic science/lab or health systems research, in which a specific question has been asked, an investigation protocol has been developed, the study is powered adequately, statistical analyses are appropriate, the conclusions clearly stated, and there is potential for high impact.
  • A single patient or family study that establishes the presence of a hitherto un-described disease or kindred.
  • Unique historical research or educational study performed rigorously.

3 – Accept

• • Retrospective patient-based study that includes robust data/observations on an adequate # patients/subjects to allow a confident conclusion.
  • A single patient or family study, basic research study, or health systems study that adds new information to the field.
  • Less rigorous or unique historical, educational, basic science or health systems study.

2 – Borderline Accept

• • Retrospective patient-based study with just a handful of patients and that allows reasonable although essentially unsubstantiated conclusions to be drawn.
  • A single patient or family study, basic research study, or health systems study that adds NO new information to the field of neurosciences, but is considered useful or confirmatory information to bring to attendees.
  • Single patient case reports usually of rare or unusual conditions that essentially add nothing to the body of knowledge and are unlikely to be of much or any interest to attendees.
  • Case reports that denigrate the skills of other clinicians involved and/or that make a diagnosis entirely based on clinical opinion (“this is the diagnosis because I say it is....”).
  • Basic research or health systems research which adds NO new information to the field and is unlikely to be of much or any interest to attendees.
  • Minimal historic anecdotes.

1 – Not suitable for acceptance (Reject)

• • Not relevant to neurosciences
  • Incomprehensible language
  • Significant ethical concerns