NeurologyLive® Mind Moments®

Welcome to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. Tune in to hear leaders in neurology sound off on topics that impact your clinical practice.

In this episode, Lara Jehi, MD, MHCDS, an epilepsy specialist and Cleveland Clinic’s Chief Research and Information Officer, sat down to discuss a recently published study that explored using machine learning algorithms to predict seizure control after epilepsy surgery. In the interview, Jehi explained the unique aspects of the study design, emphasizing the importance of a large, well-characterized patient cohort with consistent follow-up and the choice of scalp EEG—a commonly used, non-invasive test in epilepsy care—as the data source. In addition, Jehi touched on the use of AutoML to streamline the process, enabling efficient identification of the top-performing algorithms and enhancing the model’s predictive accuracy. Furthermore, she spoke on the team needed to properly implement machine learning techniques for neurosurgery, while providing recommendations for other institutions interested in pursuing these types of approaches.

Episode Breakdown:

1:00 – Background on various machine learning approaches for epilepsy research

3:20 – Study details, findings, and notable takeaways

8:20 – Neurology News Minute

10:20 – Novelty in using scalp EEG and its global application

15:30 – Team personnel needed for proper implementation of machine learning techniques in epilepsy surgery

The stories featured in this week's Neurology News Minute, which will give you quick updates on the following developments in neurology, are further detailed here:

Thanks for listening to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. To support the show, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. For more neurology news and expert-driven content, visit neurologylive.com.

Welcome to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. Tune in to hear leaders in neurology sound off on topics that impact your clinical practice.

In this episode, Lawrence Robinson, MD, a senior scientist at Sunnybrook Research Institute, sat down to discuss his presentation from the 2024 American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM) annual meeting, focused on educating the next generation of neuromuscular and electrodiagnostic (EDX) practitioners. Robinson gave an overview of his presentation, why this was a topic of interest, and the major differences in how this generation of medical students learn relative to previous ones. In addition, he discussed adapting to new learning styles, the benefits of flipped classrooms, and the impact of technology on education and practice. Furthermore, he touched upon the personal connections and humor in teaching, as well as ways to improve critical evaluation skills as a learner.

Episode Breakdown:

1:05 – Overviewing and background on AANEM presentation

3:15 – Challenges with educating next generation of neuromuscular and EDX practitioners

4:40 – Areas of opportunity and growth for these next generation learners

5:50 – Neurology News Minute

8:00 – Novelty and advantages of flipped classroom approaches to teaching

10:10 – Future expected changes to neuromuscular care

11:55 – Final thoughts on care on NM and EDX education

The stories featured in this week's Neurology News Minute, which will give you quick updates on the following developments in neurology, are further detailed here:

Thanks for listening to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. To support the show, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. For more neurology news and expert-driven content, visit neurologylive.com.

Welcome to this special episode of the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. Tune in to hear leaders in neurology sound off on topics that impact your clinical practice. For major FDA decisions in the field of neurology, we release short special episodes to offer a snapshot of the news, including the main takeaways for the clinical community, as well as highlights of the efficacy and safety profile of the agent in question.

In this episode, we cover the recent approval of Avadel's sodium oxybate formulation (Lumryz) as a treatment for pediatric patients with narcolepsy aged 7 years and older. The new indication expands on its previous one, granted in May 2023, which included the the treatment of cataplexy or excessive daytime sleepiness in adults with narcolepsy. It's initial approval was based on data from the phase 3 REST-ON trial (NCT02720744), a large-scale study in which the therapy met all 3 of its primary end points of change from baseline in mean sleep latency on the Maintenance of Wakefulness test, Clinical Global Impression Improvement, and weekly cataplexy attacks. Following its new indication, NeurologyLive sat down with Anne Marie Morse, DO, FAASM, a pediatric sleep disorders expert, to discuss the significance of the new approval. Morse, director of Child Neurology and Pediatric Sleep Medicine at Geisinger Janet Weis Children's Hospital as well as the program director for Child Neurology Residency Program, provided commentary on the clinical considerations behind this once-nightly formulation of sodium oxybate, and how it should be used going forward.

For more of NeurologyLive's coverage of sodium oxybate's (Lumryz) expanded indication, head here: FDA Approves Avadel's Sodium Oxybate for Cataplexy or Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in Pedatric Narcolepsy

Episode Breakdown:

2:10 – Immediate reaction and significance 

4:10 – Considerations and caution with prescribing sodium oxybate

8:20 – Closing remarks and the need to utilize highly effective treatments for narcolepsy

Thanks for listening to the NeurologyLive Mind Moments podcast. To support the show, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. For more neurology news and expert-driven content, visit neurologylive.com.

Welcome to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. Tune in to hear leaders in neurology sound off on topics that impact your clinical practice.

In this episode, Daniel Claaseen, MD, MS, a professor of neurology and chief of the Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology Division at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, offered his insight on phase 1/2 data that was recently presented at the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS) Congress on ATH434, an investigational drug in development from Alterity Therapeutics for multiple system atrophy (MSA). He dove into the therapy's mechanism of action and the currently known safety profile and considerations for its use, as well as the next steps in advancing care for patients with MSA as a whole.

Episode Breakdown:

1:10 – Overviewing the conduct of the phase 1/2 studies

3:00 – Notable findings from data presented at MDS

4:30 – Mechanism of action behind ATH434

8:20 – Neurology News Minute

10:20 – Next steps in ATH434's development

11:15 – Current unmet needs for patients with MSA

The stories featured in this week's Neurology News Minute, which will give you quick updates on the following developments in neurology, are further detailed here:

Thanks for listening to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. To support the show, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. For more neurology news and expert-driven content, visit neurologylive.com.

Welcome to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. Tune in to hear leaders in neurology sound off on topics that impact your clinical practice.

In this episode, Daniel Ontaneda, MD, PhD, a staff member of the Cleveland Clinic Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis, provided an in-depth overview on the newly announced McDonald criteria to diagnose multiple sclerosis (MS). Ontaneda, who also serves as an assistant professor of neurology, discussed the most notable changes to the criteria and how it may help towards improving rates of misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. He spoke on the incorporation of new biomarkers, such as central vein sign and paramagnetic rim lesions, and the ability to diagnose MS in stages before clinical presentation shows. Furthermore, Ontaneda gave some perspective on the areas of the new criteria that will take some time to adjust to, as well as how these criteria may change the philosophical perspective of the disease as a whole. 

Episode Breakdown:

1:10 – Focus and direction of new diagnostic criteria

3:00 – Overviewing specific changes to McDonald criteria

10:50 – Approach to diagnosing pre-MS; treating radiologically isolated syndrome earlier

12:55 – Neurology News Minute

15:10 – Incorporation of new biomarkers, central vein sign, paramagnetic rim lesions, OCT

21:45 – Unanswered questions/challenges left out of the diagnostic criteria

The stories featured in this week's Neurology News Minute, which will give you quick updates on the following developments in neurology, are further detailed here:

Thanks for listening to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. To support the show, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. For more neurology news and expert-driven content, visit neurologylive.com.

Welcome to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. Tune in to hear leaders in neurology sound off on topics that impact your clinical practice.

In this episode, Joanne Donovan, MD, PhD, chief medical officer at Edgewise Therapeutics, sat down to discuss the clinical program of EDG-5506, an investigational drug in development for Becker muscular dystrophy, and the recent progress in treating and understanding Becker muscular dystrophy. She spoke on the mechanism of action of the drug, also known as sevasemten, and why the company believes it can be therapeutically beneficial for this patient population. Furthermore, Donovan spoke on the previous failures in drug development for Becker, advances in biomarker detection, and how other trials paved the way for the company's phase 2 study and open label extension, dubbed CANYON (NCT05291091) and GRAND CANYON. Furthermore, she spoke on the ways the clinical community has tried to improve the quality of life for patients with Becker, focusing on approaches and tactics that curve cardiac issues commonly seen in this group. 

Episode Breakdown:

1:15 – Overview of CANYON study and extension phase 

3:50 – Mechanism of action of EDG-5506

6:30 – How previous trial experiences shaped CANYON 

10:10 – Neurology News Minute

11:50 – Ongoing challenges with treating and testing drugs for Becker

15:25 – Safety profile of EDG-5506

16:45 – Ways to tackle cardiac issues in Becker

The stories featured in this week's Neurology News Minute, which will give you quick updates on the following developments in neurology, are further detailed here:

Thanks for listening to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. To support the show, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. For more neurology news and expert-driven content, visit neurologylive.com.

Welcome to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. Tune in to hear leaders in neurology sound off on topics that impact your clinical practice.

In this episode, epilepsy expert Imad Najm, MD, PhD, sat down to discuss the upcoming Cleveland Clinic Epilepsy Summit, an educational symposium that takes place September 11-15, in Cleveland, Ohio. Najm, who serves as the director of Cleveland Clinic's Epilepsy Center at the Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute, spoke about the objectives and goals of the meeting, including updates on sEEG, epilepsy surgery, treatments for drug-resistant epilepsy, and gene therapy. In addition, he provided an overview of the latest advances in epilepsy surgery, genetics, and seizure controlling approaches. Furthermore, he spoke on some of the educational challenges with adjusting to changes in neurosurgery, the potential benefits and limitations of gene therapy, and the future of epilepsy treatment. 

Episode Breakdown:

1:10 – Mission and goals of Epilepsy Summit 

3:05 – Overviewing sessions and educational attainment

4:55 – Changes to epilepsy surgery, advances over the years

9:15 – Neurology News Minute

11:50 – Learning curve for understanding new epilepsy surgery tactics

13:50 – Closing thoughts on the upcoming meeting

15:50 – Potential benefits and challenges to gene therapy for epilepsy

The stories featured in this week's Neurology News Minute, which will give you quick updates on the following developments in neurology, are further detailed here:

Thanks for listening to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. To support the show, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. For more neurology news and expert-driven content, visit neurologylive.com.

Welcome to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. Tune in to hear leaders in neurology sound off on topics that impact your clinical practice.

In this episode, Sharon Cohen, MD, a behavioral neurologist, sat down to discuss positive data from an ongoing phase 1 study of mivelsiran (Alnylam Pharmaceuticals), the first investigational RNA interference therapeutic targeting amyloid precursor protein for Alzheimer disease (AD). Cohen, who also serves as the medical director of the Toronto Memory Program at the University of Toronto, discussed the potential of RNA therapeutics for treating AD, the unique mechanism of action of mivelsiran, and some of the early promising safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetic data observed in the phase 1 trial. In addition, Cohen touched upon the idea of how RNA therapeutics could be used in combination with previously approved novel treatments and the benefits mivelsiran brings with no observed amyloid-related imaging abnormalities. Furthermore, the discussion covered some of the potential of this investigational agent, what to expect in the multi-dose part B of the study, and an additional phase 2 study in cerebral amyloid angiopathy. 

Episode Breakdown:

1:15 – Mechanism of action of mivelsiran and how it can be potentially beneficial in AD

4:15 – Growing knowledge of RNA therapeutics and their impact on neurologic conditions

7:00 – Neurology News Minute

10:10 – Phase 1 study data, including efficacy, safety, biomarker, and pharmacokinetic results

19:20 – How mivelsiran fits with other approved therapies for AD; future goals and directions of the drug

The stories featured in this week's Neurology News Minute, which will give you quick updates on the following developments in neurology, are further detailed here:

Thanks for listening to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. To support the show, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. For more neurology news and expert-driven content, visit neurologylive.com.

Welcome to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. Tune in to hear leaders in neurology sound off on topics that impact your clinical practice.

In this episode, Phil Jochelson, therapeutic head for Clinical Development Neuroscience at Jazz Pharmaceuticals, sat down to discuss the phase 4 XYLO study, a randomized controlled study evaluating the effects of switching from high-sodium to low-sodium oxybate on blood pressure in patients with narcolepsy. Jochelson gave some insight regarding the conduct of the trial, including end points, objectives, and patient demographics, as well as some of the benefits to studying blood pressure and cardiovascular risks. In addition, he discussed enhancements to narcolepsy care through low-sodium oxybate, the importance of unique studies like XYLO, and the need to educate clinicians on sodium load and its risks. 

Episode Breakdown:

1:15 – Reasons behind the XYLO study and links between high sodium intake and cardiovascular risk

4:45 – Patient demographics; inclusion and exclusion criterias

6:40 – Neurology News Minute

9:25 – Overview of XYLO and determining what a successful study looks like

15:30 – Improved understanding of the benefits of low-sodium oxybate

The stories featured in this week's Neurology News Minute, which will give you quick updates on the following developments in neurology, are further detailed here:

Thanks for listening to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. To support the show, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. For more neurology news and expert-driven content, visit neurologylive.com.

Welcome to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. Tune in to hear leaders in neurology sound off on topics that impact your clinical practice.

In this episode, Michael Weiss, chief executive officer of TG Therapeutics, discussed ublituximab (Briumvi), a recently approved anti-CD20 therapy for relapsing multiple sclerosis, and the advantages it brings to patients. Specifically, he talked about the Department of Veteran Affairs' decision to award national contract to ublituximab as the preferred anti-CD20 for this patient population, and how this facilitates greater access to the treatment. In addition, he discussed how the knowledge profile of the agent has grown over time, as well as the additional efforts to gain a better understanding of its efficacy and safety. Furthermore, he spoke on the differences between ublituximab and other approved agents, and why it may be more applicable to certain patients. 

Episode Breakdown:

1:05 – Significance of ublituximab awarded national contract as preferred anti-CD20 for relapsing MS

3:30 – Advantages and differences of ublituximab vs approved therapies for MS

11:40 – Neurology News Minute

14:30 – Growing knowledge profile of ublituximab over the years

19:05 – Future plans of ubtlituximab; long-term goals of the therapy

The stories featured in this week's Neurology News Minute, which will give you quick updates on the following developments in neurology, are further detailed here:

Thanks for listening to the NeurologyLive® Mind Moments® podcast. To support the show, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. For more neurology news and expert-driven content, visit neurologylive.com.