Honoring the Impact of Recognition and Advocacy in MS Care: Aprile Royal, RN, BA, MEd
December 11th 2024The manager of the BARLO MS education program at St. Michael's Hospital highlighted the significance of recognition, the pivotal role of nurses in multiple sclerosis care, and the lasting impact of mentorship and advocacy. [WATCH TIME: 5 minutes]
Promise Behind Stem Cell Approaches to Treat Epilepsy: Jonathon Parker, MD, PhD
December 10th 2024The assistant professor of neurosurgery and neuroscience at Mayo Clinic Arizona provided context on the potential of regenerative therapies like stem cells to restore neural function in patients with epilepsy. [WATCH TIME: 3 minutes]
Disability Accumulation and Early Therapy: Insights from MAGNIFY-MS and High-Efficacy DMT Data
December 9th 2024Panelists discuss how the MAGNIFY-MS study underscores the significance of early, aggressive multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment with cladribine, demonstrating its potential to effectively mitigate disability progression through progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) suppression in both treatment-naive and previously treated patient populations, with outcomes competitive with other high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies.
Therapeutic Optimization of Stiripentol for Dravet Syndrome: James Wheless, MD, FAAP, FAAN, FAES
December 9th 2024The Le Bonheur Chair in Pediatric Neurology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center highlighted the benefits and challenges of using stiripentol, an FDA-approved treatment for Dravet syndrome. [WATCH TIME: 4 minutes]
NMOSD Management with New FDA-approved Agents to Reduce Relapse and Hospitalization Rates
December 9th 2024A panelist discusses how neurologists can adapt their NMOSD management strategies based on recent findings about relapse and hospitalization rates, sharing practical advice and clinical experience for optimizing patient outcomes.
Biomarkers and Therapeutic Impact on PIRA
Published: December 9th 2024 | Updated: December 6th 2024Panelists discuss how recent investigations into progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) in multiple sclerosis (MS) have revealed complex inflammatory signatures in cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral blood, with biomarkers like neurofilament light chain and pro-inflammatory cytokines showing promise in tracking neurodegeneration. The Swedish MS Registry’s findings suggest that early implementation of high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies may effectively delay or prevent PIRA progression, though these results require further robust, multicenter validation to definitively establish clinical significance and generalizability.
Advancing Epilepsy Treatment and Brain Research Through SEEG: Alexander C. Whiting, MD
December 7th 2024The director of epilepsy surgery at Allegheny Health Network talked about research recently presented at AES 2024 on stereo-electroencephalography, a minimally invasive treatment for patients with epilepsy. [WATCH TIME: 7 minutes]
Interdisciplinary Team Needed to Apply Machine Learning in Epilepsy Surgery: Lara Jehi, MD, MHCDS
December 4th 2024The epilepsy specialist and Cleveland Clinic’s Chief Research and Information Officer detailed the steps and teamwork required to implement a machine learning that predicts seizure outcomes in epilepsy surgery. [WATCH TIME: 4 minutes]
Understanding PIRA in MS: Key Insights and Advances From ECTRIMS 2024
December 3rd 2024Panelists discuss how progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) in multiple sclerosis (MS) represents continuous neurological decline unrelated to inflammatory events, distinct from relapse-associated worsening (RAW). Recent ECTRIMS 2024 presentations emphasized standardized evaluation methods to better understand disease progression and improve patient management strategies.
The Impact of Biomarkers and Modern Disease-Modifying Therapies in MS
December 3rd 2024Panelists discuss how modern multiple sclerosis (MS) management has evolved from symptomatic treatment to a proactive, personalized approach leveraging advanced biomarkers and sophisticated disease-modifying therapies. The focus has shifted toward early intervention, precise monitoring, and comprehensive disease control, significantly improving patient outcomes and quality of life.
Important Considerations for Infantile Spasms Awareness: Martina Bebin, MD, MPA
December 3rd 2024The professor of neurology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Epilepsy Center provided comment on raising awareness for infantile spasms, especially during Infantile Spams Awareness Week, which is celebrated the first week of December. [WATCH TIME: 3 minutes]
Exploring Gaps in RLS Treatment Through New 2024 Guidelines: Andy Berkowski, MD, PhD
December 3rd 2024The vice chair of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s Clinical Practice Guidelines Task Force commented on some of the unanswered questions following the recently published guidelines for restless legs syndrome. [WATCH TIME: 3 minutes]
Implications of Relapse and Hospitalization Rates with Rituximab Use in NMOSD Management
December 2nd 2024A panelist discusses how comparing hospitalization rates, relapse risks, and safety considerations between rituximab and other NMOSD therapies, such as complement inhibitors, can provide valuable insights to guide treatment decisions, manage healthcare costs, and optimize patient quality of life.
Importance of Genetic Counseling and Next-Generation Sequencing for Pediatric Epilepsy Diagnosis
November 28th 2024John Michael Schreiber, MD, describes how he counsels and educates caregivers about the potential benefits and limitations of genetic testing, detailing his approach to educating them before testing, how he guides them in interpreting results and transitioning to clinical management afterward, and the role of genetic counseling, including when to refer to a genetic specialist; he also provides key takeaways on the role and value of genetic testing for pediatric epilepsy and discusses how providers should utilize next-generation sequencing (NGS) moving forward.
Collaboration and Innovation in Alzheimer Disease Clinical Trial Research: Howard Fillit, MD
November 26th 2024The cofounder and chief science officer of the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation highlighted the critical role of collaboration and innovative diagnostics for advancing Alzheimer disease care. [WATCH TIME: 4 minutes]
Assessing Omaveloxolone’s Positive Long-Term Safety Profile: David Lynch, MD, PhD
November 26th 2024The professor of neurology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine provided clinical insight on a long-term safety analysis of omaveloxolone, the first FDA-approved treatment for Friedreich ataxia. [WATCH TIME: 4 minutes]
Shared Decision-making for Selection of FDA-approved Therapies for NMOSD
November 25th 2024A panelist discusses how when treating NMOSD, neurologists should consider the patient's clinical characteristics, safety profiles, administration requirements, and cost-effectiveness when selecting between FDA-approved therapies such as eculizumab, inebilizumab, satralizumab, ravulizumab, and rituximab. Shared decision-making is crucial, involving close collaboration between the healthcare team and the patient to develop a personalized treatment plan that considers the patient's overall well-being.
Overviewing Major Changes to the 2024 Restless Legs Syndrome Guidelines: Andy Berkowski, MD, PhD
November 25th 2024The vice chair of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s Clinical Practice Guidelines Task Force provided in-depth insight on the most noted changes to the 2024 RLS guidelines clinicians should be aware of. [WATCH TIME: 9 minutes]
Exploring Blood-Based Biomarkers and Treatment Eligibility in Alzheimer Disease: Gil Rabinovici, MD
November 21st 2024The professor of neurology and radiology at University of California, San Francisco, discussed the potential of blood-based biomarkers in Alzheimer treatment eligibility, highlighting current limitations and the importance of safety monitoring. [WATCH TIME: 7 minutes]
Highlights on Exploring Advances in Headache Medicine from AHS Scottsdale 2024: MaryAnn Mays, MD
November 21st 2024The neurologist in the Headache Center at Cleveland Clinic shared her post perspective on the 2024 AHS Scottsdale meeting which highlighted advancements in headache medicine and the growing impact of the field on patient care. [WATCH TIME: 5 minutes]
Importance of Genetic Testing for Pediatric Epilepsy Diagnosis and Treatment Decisions
November 21st 2024John Michael Schreiber, MD, describes the benefits of genetic testing for pediatric epilepsy diagnoses, noting the challenges associated with interpreting test results, and highlights key differences between genetic tests and their implications for clinical decisions, discussing how a genetic diagnosis can inform and guide epilepsy treatment.
Scalability of Scalp EEG as a Tool for Epilepsy Surgery Outcomes: Lara Jehi, MD, MHCDS
November 21st 2024The epilepsy specialist and Cleveland Clinic’s Chief Research and Information Officer discussed the wide-spread applicability of scalp EEG and the potential for machine learning models to help predict epilepsy surgery outcomes. [WATCH TIME: 4 minutes]