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Neurology® Podcast

History of Letters to the Editor

·20 min·2 clips
Dr. Kurtzke's 1964 letter used chi-square analysis to show a proposed MS diagnostic test wasn't statistically significant.
The episode begins with host Jeff Ratliff introducing the special 75th-anniversary series for the journal Neurology. He welcomes guests Birch Griggs, Professor Emeritus and former Editor-in-Chief of Neurology, and Steve Galletta, current Editor of the letters to the editor section. Ratliff provides historical context, noting the journal was founded in 1951 and the first letter appeared in 1964. That letter, by Dr. Kurtzke, challenged a paper on CSF injections for MS, using statistical analysis to show lack of significance. Griggs and Galletta discuss the value of letters as ongoing peer review, enhancing scientific integrity. Griggs shares his pet peeve about authors not responding to letters, humorously comparing it to brain death criteria. The hosts trace the section's name changes, from 'correspondence' to 'disputes and debates', aimed at boosting engagement. They highlight editorials by Griggs and Galletta with alliterative titles like 'Waiting, Waffling, or Weaseling' that helped increase author response rates. Galletta notes rates rose from 44% to 75%, attributing it to accountability and light shaming. The conversation shifts to modern challenges, contrasting the letters section with social media, where misinformation can spread anonymously. Galletta emphasizes the section's moderation, real names, and professional dialogue. Looking ahead, they speculate on the future, with Galletta announcing a new 'controversies in letters to the editor' session at the American Academy of Neurology meeting. The episode concludes with thanks and a call for listeners to submit letters.

As heard by us

A 75th-anniversary look at how letters to the editor can keep a paper's discussion alive.

Neurology's letters to the editor section gets a compact anniversary look-back as the journal marks 75 years. Jeff Ratliff leads Birch Griggs and Steve Galletta through the section's history, its shift toward a more straightforward title, and the value of correspondence as a…

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You want the afterlife of a Neurology paper: the letter, the critique, and the author's chance to answer.

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