History of Letters to the Editor

The Neurology Podcast celebrates the 75th anniversary of the journal with a deep dive into the Letters to the Editor section—a cornerstone of scientific accountability and post-publication peer review. The episode features Birch Griggs and Steve Galetta, former and current editors of the section, who reveal how a 1964 letter by Dr. Kurtzke, challenging the statistical validity of a paper on CSF injections as an MS treatment, launched a tradition of rigorous scholarly dialogue. That early critique exemplifies how letters to the editor serve as a vital form of ongoing peer review, exposing flaws that may have slipped through initial review and fostering transparency. Despite early resistance—only 44% of authors responding in 2015—the response rate has now climbed to 75%, driven by editorial campaigns with sharp alliterative titles like "Waiting, Waffling, or Weaseling" that publicly nudged authors toward engagement. The section now stands as a trusted, moderated forum that counters the spread of misinformation on social media, offering real names, professional tone, and editorial oversight. Looking ahead, the journal plans to amplify the section through multimedia formats, including a live controversy session at the American Academy meeting, blending audio, video, and audience interaction to keep the dialogue alive in an era of digital noise.