IX International Facial Nerve Symposium.

Every 4 to 6 years since 1964, physicians and others throughout the world who are interested in the facial nerve hold a meeting to discuss new knowledge and the diagnosis and treatment of facial nerve disorders. The most recent meeting, held in San Francisco July 29 through August 1, was organized by Kedar K. Adour, MD, and Robert K. Jackler, MD. More than 300 persons were in attendance.

The program was filled with fine papers. A major theme of the meeting was the universal acceptance of the fact that analysis and grading of facial function or malfunction is best done by computer analysis of videorecording of facial movements. J. Gall Neely, MD, described the system he has developed. The highlight of the meeting was the keynote speech of Paul Ekman, PhD. He spoke and personally animated his lecture on "Emotional and Conversational Facial Signals," describing how human facial expression involuntarily communicates, whether a person is telling the truth or not, and complements spoken conversation. He also described a new finding that voluntarily making certain facial muscular contractions can generate the physiologic changes that occur with emotion. This in itself might become a useful therapy.

In another session, the surgeons gathered there had collectively removed with surgery more than 100 facial nerve neuromas; these new reports will bring the number of cases reported in the literature to more than 350.

The social program was equally outstanding. Of course, with San Francisco as the setting, one evening involved a wine-tasting session. The last evening we enjoyed a dinner cruise around San Francisco Bay with music and a caricaturist.

The next symposium is to be held in Holland. Sir Charles Bell would no doubt be pleased with the progress being made.

JACK L. PULEC, MD

Editor-in-Chief

EAR, NOSE & THROAT JOURNAL