Alan Thompson is a Consultant Neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), Queen Square, and is Director of the UCL Institute of Neurology. Alan studied medicine at Trinity College Dublin and trained in neurology at St Vincent’s/Adelaide Hospital in Dublin, The Royal London Hospital and the Middlesex Hospital and in neurology and neurorehabilitation at NHNN in London.
He holds an Honorary Doctorate from Hasselt University for his work in neurorehabilitation. He is Garfield-Weston Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neurorehabilitation at University College London, Institute of Neurology, Deputy Director of UCL/UCLH Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre, Programme Director for the Neurological Disorders Theme, UCL Partners Academic Health Science Centre, and Vice-Dean and Deputy Head of the UCL Faculty of Biomedicine. He is also an NIHR Senior Investigator. He was the Clinical Director of NHNN from 2003 to 2007.
Alan’s specialty is multiple sclerosis (MS), and his research focuses on understanding the pathological mechanisms that result in neurological disability and recovery using structural and functional imaging, developing scientifically sound outcome measures that incorporate the patient’s perspective, and carrying out trials of interventions in MS, neurological rehabilitation, and symptom management. Alan established the neurorehabilitation service at NHNN, and runs an MS service offering specialist diagnostic, relapse, and rehabilitation clinics.
A full list of publications is available on request.
Selected publications include:
1. Ciccarelli O, Catani M, Johansen-Berg H, Clark CA, Thompson AJ. Diffusion-based tractography in neurological disorders: concepts, applications and future developments. Lancet Neurology 2008; 7:715-727.
2. Khaleeli Z, Ciccarelli O, Manfredonia F, Barkhof F, Brochet B, Cercignani M, Dousset V, Filippi M, Montalban X, Polman C, Rovaris M, Rovira A, Sastre-Garriga J, Vellinga M, Miller D, Thompson A. Predicting progression in primary progressive multiple sclerosis: a 10-year multicenter study. Annals of Neurology 2008;63:790-793.
3. Hobart JC, Cano SJ, Zajicek JP, Thompson AJ. Rating scales as outcome measures for clinical trials in neurology: problems, solutions, and recommendations. Lancet Neurology 2007; 6:1094-1105.
4. Ciccarelli O, Wheeler-Kingshott CA, McLean MA, Cercignani M, Wimpey K, Miller DH, Thompson AJ. Spinal cord spectroscopy and diffusion-based tractography to assess acute disability in multiple sclerosis. Brain 2007;130:2220-2231.
5. Chataway J, Porter B, Riazi A, Heaney D, Watt H, Hobart J, Thompson A. Home versus outpatient administration of intravenous steroids for multiple sclerosis relapses: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet Neurology 2006;5:565-571.
6. Toosy AT, Hickman SH, Miszkiel K, Jones SJ, Plant GT, Altmann D, Barker GJ, Miller DH, Thompson AJ. Adaptive cortical plasticity in higher visual areas after acute optic neuritis. Annals of Neurology 2005; 57:622-633.
7. Sastre-Garriga J, Ingle GT, Chard DT, Cercignani M, Ramio-Torrenta L, Miller DH, Thompson AJ. Grey and white matter volume changes in early primary progressive multiple sclerosis: a longitudinal study. Brain 2005; 128:1454-1460.
8. Polman CH, Reingold SC, Edan G, Filippi M, Hartung H-P, Kappos L, Lublin FD, Metz LM, McFarland HF, O’Connor PW, Sandberg-Wollheim M, Thompson AJ, Weinshenker BG, Wolinsky JS. Diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis: 2005 revisions to the “McDonald Criteria”. Annals of Neurology 2005; 58:840-846.
9. Zajicek J, Fox P, Sanders H, Wright D, Vickery J, Nunn A, Thompson A, on behalf of the UK MS Research Group. Cannabinoids for treatment of spasticity and other symptoms related to multiple sclerosis (CAMS Study): multicentre randomised placebo-controlled trial. The Lancet 2003;362:1517-1526.
10. Behrens TEJ, Johansen-Berg H, Woolrich MW, Smith MS, Wheeler-Kingshott CAM, Boulby PA, Barker GJ, Sillery EL, Sheehan K, Ciccarelli O, Thompson AJ, Brady JM, Matthews PM. Non-invasive mapping of connections between human thalamus and cortex using diffusion imaging. Nature Neuroscience 2003; 6:750-757.
11. McDonald WI, Compston A, Edan G, Goodkin D, Hartung H-P, Lublin FD, McFarland HF, Paty DW, Polman CH, Reingold SC, Sandberg-Wolheim M, Sibley W, Thompson A, Van den Noort S, Weinshenker BY, Wolinsky JS. Recommended diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis: guidelines from the International Panel on the Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. Ann Neurol 2001; 50:121-127.