NeurologyLive® Friday 5 — January 2, 2026

Welcome to NeurologyLive^®'s Friday 5! Every week, the staff compiles 5 highlights of NeurologyLive's widespread coverage in neurology, ranging from newsworthy study findings and FDA action to expert interviews and peer-to-peer panel discussions.

Click the read more buttons for more details and information about each highlight.

1: NeurologyLive® Year in Review 2025: Most Impactful FDA Decisions

In 2025, there was much FDA activity to track—there were many agency decisions, advisory committee meetings, and application submissions and acceptances, among other notable undertakings. Some patient populations saw first-ever approvals, while others were granted access to more convenient administration modalities or new formulations.

2: NeurologyLive® Year in Review 2025: Spotlighting SAP Collaborations

Throughout the year, the team has worked closely with over 30 organizations as part of NeurologyLive's Strategic Alliance Partnership (SAP) program. The program is constantly building a community of advocacy groups, medical associations, and medical institutions to foster collaboration and exchange information among trusted peers, to benefit patients and their families.

3: NeurologyLive® Year in Review 2025: Top Interviews on the AI Takeover

Artificial intelligence (AI) emerged as a defining theme in neurology in 2025, reflecting its expanding role across research and clinical practice. Advances in machine learning, imaging analysis, and data integration supported new approaches to diagnosis, risk stratification, and disease monitoring across neurologic conditions. Collectively, these developments highlighted AI’s evolving role as a clinical support tool with the potential to augment, but not replace, neurologist expertise.

4: Previewing Expected FDA Decisions in Neurology for 2026

Looking ahead to the first half of 2026, several high-profile FDA decisions are expected across a range of neurologic conditions, spanning neurodegenerative disease, neuromuscular disorders, headache, epilepsy, and rare neurologic populations. These upcoming actions include anticipated approvals, regulatory verdicts on novel mechanisms, and decisions that could introduce new formulations, delivery strategies, or first-in-class options for patients with limited therapeutic alternatives.

5: Linking Exercise to Dopamine and Motor Performance in Parkinson Disease

In newly published research, Margaret Rice, PhD, and colleagues provide direct neurochemical evidence that aerobic exercise robustly enhances dopamine release in both male and female aging mice, with corresponding improvements in coordination and movement speed. The findings, published in npj Parkinson’s Disease, suggest that exercise-induced dopamine release may represent a biologically meaningful mechanism underlying motor benefits observed clinically.