Insights

Epilepsy is one of the most common serious neurological disorders in the world, yet it remains widely misunderstood -- in clinical practice, in public perception, and in the systems that are supposed to support patients across their lifetimes. The diagnostic process is more nuanced than many clinicians appreciate, the burden on patients and families extends far beyond seizure frequency, and the growing role of genetics is reshaping how we think about classification, risk, and care.
Dr. Jacqueline French of NYU Langone brings her expertise across the full spectrum of epilepsy to an independent, product-agnostic conversation about the clinical realities of managing this disease -- from first recognition through long-term care -- with a particular focus on the areas where clinicians most need clarity and depth.

In this discussion, Dr Brenda Wong explores how families can be supported by advocacy organizations after a Duchenne muscular dystrophy diagnosis. She elaborates on how care needs evolve across the lifespan, and how advocacy organizations can help guide multidisciplinary care, treatment decisions, care transitions, and participation in cutting edge DMD research.

In this program, expert Raj Rajaraman, MD, MS, the director of the UCLA CDKL5 Center of Excellence, discussed how to differentiate CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD) from other epileptic syndromes, and recognize its distinct clinical features. During the conversation, he also highlighted the burden of disease and the importance of clearer communication to support earlier and more accurate identification in clinical practice.

In this program, epilepsy expert Joseph Sullivan, MD, the director of the Pediatric Epilepsy Center of Excellence at the University of California San Francisco, explored key considerations in the transition from pediatric to adult care for patients with developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs), including diagnosis, treatment strategies, and long-term management.

Expert Mike Sharma, MD, explores the scientific rationale for factor XIa inhibition, reviews key clinical trials such as PACIFIC-STROKE and OCEANIC-STROKE, and discusses how emerging therapies like asundexian may redefine secondary stroke prevention by offering safer, more effective antithrombotic strategies beyond aspirin.

Panelist discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic evolution of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, emphasizing advances in precision diagnostics, patient-centered clinical trial design, and emerging targeted immune-modulating strategies that aim to reduce treatment burden while sustaining long-term disease control.

Fernando Pagan, MD discusses how adjunctive therapies, novel dopamine agonists like tavapadon, advanced levodopa formulations, and subcutaneous infusion pumps are revolutionizing Parkinson's disease treatment by optimizing dopamine levels, reducing motor fluctuations, and minimizing side effects while emerging gene therapies and stem cell treatments offer promising disease-modifying approaches for the future.

CMSC President Jeff Wilken, PhD, interviews expert clinicians across the continuum of multiple sclerosis care daily from the floor of the annual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.

A panelist discusses how the DORA class of medications offers a novel approach to treating insomnia by selectively targeting orexin receptors to regulate sleep-wake cycles.

An expert discusses the evolving treatment landscape of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), highlighting advances in gene therapy, exon-skipping agents, and novel corticosteroids that aim to slow disease progression, improve muscle function, and enhance quality of life, while emphasizing the growing role of personalized medicine and early intervention in optimizing long-term outcomes.

Panelists discuss how advances in seizure control and termination strategies focus on rapid identification and targeted treatment of seizure types, incorporating newer antiepileptic drugs, rescue therapies, and neuromodulation techniques to improve patient outcomes and prevent progression to status epilepticus.

David Lynch, MD, PhD, discusses how Friedreich ataxia is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by frataxin deficiency, leading to ataxia, cardiac issues, and multisystem complications. Its management requires multidisciplinary care, with recent advances including FDA-approved omaveloxolone and emerging treatments such as vatiquinone and gene therapy offering new hope.

Experts examine the evolving NMOSD treatment landscape, focusing on rituximab's safety concerns, comparative effectiveness of FDA-approved therapies, hospitalization rates, and strategies for optimizing patient outcomes through informed treatment selection and management approaches.

John Michael Schreiber, MD, discusses how genetic testing enhances the diagnosis and management of pediatric epilepsy, emphasizing its importance in tailoring treatment strategies for affected patients.

Stuart Isaacson, MD, discusses how patient-centric, personalized care in Parkinson's Ddisease involves integrating pharmacological therapies with wellness strategies, addressing addresses challenges in delivery, and emphasizing emphasizes the role of advocacy groups in supporting both patients and healthcare providers.

Scott Perry, MD, discusses how Dravet syndrome, a rare genetic epilepsy, presents significant challenges in diagnosis, treatment, and management, emphasizing the importance of early detection, comprehensive care strategies, and support for both patients and caregivers to optimize outcomes and quality of life.

Three medical experts explore key insights on novel treatments for NMOSD, focusing on relapse management, disability accumulation, and the efficacy of new versus traditional therapies.

An in-depth view into treatment and management of type 1 related plexiform neurofibroma across varying patient age ranges is provided by Kaleb Yohay, MD, of NYU Langone Health.

Emma Ciafaloni, MD, provides comprehensive insights on the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, focusing on diagnostic and treatment practices, ongoing research, and the importance of multidisciplinary care.

CMSC President Jeff Wilken, PhD, interviews expert clinicians across the continuum of multiple sclerosis care daily from the floor of the annual meeting in Nashville, Tennessee.

An expert neurologist discusses the use of wearable devices to aid in symptom diagnosis and management in Parkinson’s Disease (PD).

Dr Lewis gives an in-depth overview of CIDP. He discusses the variants of CIDP, the most common signs and symptoms and the impact of updated CIDP guidelines on clinical practice. Dr. Lewis reviews the current therapeutic landscape and exciting new agents that are on the horizon which could soon add to armamentarium of clinicians treating patients with CIDP.

Dr. Neelam Goyal discusses atypical presentation of myasthenia gravis, her approach to diagnosing and treating myasthenia gravis, and recently approved treatments for it.

An expert neurologist provides insight on Huntington’s disease (HD), highlighting its causes, symptoms, and potential treatments and emerging therapies in development.

Robert Hauser, MD, MBA, discusses the management of OFF episodes and dyskinesia in patients with Parkinson’s disease.

An expert neurologist discusses the use of targeted therapies to personalize treatment for patients with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) and reviews the impact on quality of life, the challenges of managing the disease, as well as new and emerging therapies.

Daniel E. Kremens, MD, JD, discusses the impact of OFF episodes on patients with Parkinson’s Disease and the current and newer strategies for managing them.