hit counter

Epilepsy and Alzheimer’s Blood Biomarkers in Older Adults

MHD featured image for epilepsy, Alzheimer’s blood biomarkers, and AT(N) profiles in older adults.

A preprint in 84 older adults with epilepsy found that abnormal Alzheimer's-related blood biomarkers were common, but the biomarker categories did not line up neatly with cognitive impairment. Research Highlights Only 32.1% had normal biomarkers: 27 of 84 older adults with epilepsy were A−T−N− using blood-based amyloid, tau, and neurodegeneration markers.1 AD-continuum profiles were common: …

Read more

Seletracetam for Seizure Rescue: Non-Benzodiazepine Alternative Revisited

MHD featured image for seletracetam as a possible non-benzodiazepine seizure rescue therapy.

A 2026 CNS Drugs review argues that seletracetam, an abandoned second-generation racetam antiseizure drug, may be unusually well suited for seizure rescue: early oral studies involved 171 participants, photosensitivity responses occurred in 32 of 36 exposures, and one intranasal named-patient use reduced reading-induced spike rate from 3.1/min to 1.6/min without sedation. Research Highlights Rescue-therapy rationale: …

Read more

SYNGAP1 Autistic Behaviors Linked to Seizure Type, Not Frequency

MHD featured image for SYNGAP1 seizure semiology and autistic behaviors.

A 337-person SYNGAP1-DEE registry preprint found caregiver-reported autistic behavior scores linked most strongly to atypical absence seizures (n = 77; FDR-adjusted p = .001), while peak seizure-frequency ratings were not detectably associated with those behavior scores.1 Research Highlights Seizure type carried the signal: atypical absences were associated with higher caregiver-reported autistic behavior scores in 77 …

Read more

Levetiracetam Range in Children: 2.82-24.37 mcg/mL TDM

MHD featured image for levetiracetam therapeutic drug monitoring in children with epilepsy.

A 2026 real-world study involving 1,174 children with epilepsy proposed a levetiracetam therapeutic drug monitoring range of 2.82-24.37 mcg/mL, much lower than commonly cited adult-style ranges, but the same data also warned against treating a drug level as a stand-alone seizure-control predictor. Research Highlights Lower pediatric range: Sun et al. proposed an observational levetiracetam range …

Read more

Autoimmune Focal Epilepsy: Antibody Testing and Immunotherapy

MHD featured image for autoimmune drug-resistant focal epilepsy and immunotherapy.

A 2026 structured review of autoimmune drug-resistant focal epilepsy argues for a narrow but clinically important claim: immune mechanisms can make seizures refractory in selected patients, but the evidence supports targeted testing and immunotherapy triage rather than treating every medication-resistant seizure disorder as autoimmune. Research Highlights Autoimmune epilepsy is a subset: Kunecki et al. estimated …

Read more

Levetiracetam After Stroke: 9 Fewer Deaths in Older Adults

MHD featured image for levetiracetam continuation, post-stroke seizure prevention, and 90-day survival in older adults.

A 2026 Medicare target-trial emulation found continued levetiracetam after acute ischemic stroke was associated with 53 vs. 62 deaths per 1,000 over 90 days, a risk difference of −9 deaths per 1,000 favoring continuation. Research Highlights Survival signal: continued levetiracetam after an initial month of post-stroke use was linked to 53 deaths per 1,000 vs. …

Read more

Dynamic FDG-PET Signal Quality Beats Static PET in Focal Epilepsy

MHD featured image for dynamic FDG-PET signal quality in focal epilepsy neuroimaging.

A 2026 medRxiv study of 30 adults with drug-resistant focal epilepsy found that dynamic FDG-PET had higher model-adjusted signal quality than static PET in most brain regions, including >80% posterior probability of superiority in 29 of 36 regions. Research Highlights Dynamic PET beat static PET: interictal dynamic FDG-PET showed higher signal quality than static PET …

Read more