Objective-Neonatal seizures occur frequently, are often refractory to anticonvulsants, and are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Genetic and electrophysiological evidence indicates that KCNQ voltage-gated potassium channels are critical regulators of neonatal brain excitability. This study tests the hypothesis that selective openers of KCNQ channels may be effective for treatment of neonatal seizures.Methods-We induced seizures in postnatal day 10 rats with either kainic acid or flurothyl. We measured seizure activity using quantified behavioral rating and electrocorticography. We compared the efficacy of flupirtine, a selective KCNQ channel opener, with phenobarbital and diazepam, two drugs in current use for neonatal seizures.Results-Unlike phenobarbital or diazepam, flupirtine prevented animals from developing status epilepticus (SE) when administered prior to kainate. In the flurothyl model, phenobarbital and diazepam increased latency to seizure onset, but flupirtine completely prevented seizures throughout the experiment. Flupirtine was also effective in arresting electrographic and behavioral seizures when administered after animals had developed continuous kainate-induced SE. Flupirtine caused doserelated sedation and suppressed EEG activity, but did not result in respiratory suppression or result in any mortality.Interpretation-Flupirtine appears more effective than either of two commonly used anti-epileptic drugs, phenobarbital and diazepam, in preventing and suppressing seizures in both the kainic acid and flurothyl models of symptomatic neonatal seizures. KCNQ channel openers merit further study as potential treatments for seizures in infants and children.Epileptic seizures occur commonly in the first days after birth. 1 Such neonatal seizures are usually symptomatic, arising as a result of developmental abnormalities, in utero injuries, perinatal hypoxia-ischemia, infection, and other causes. Patients experiencing neonatal seizures are at substantial risk of mortality and long-term morbidity, including static encephalopathy, cerebral palsy, and chronic epilepsy. 2, 3 The first-line drugs given to neonates, phenobarbital and phenytoin, are effective in less than 50% of cases 4 . Moreover, phenobarbital, benzodiazepines and phenytoin have been shown to cause widespread neuronal apoptosis when given to young rodents, raising concerns about administration of these drugs in human infants. Genetic, physiological, and pharmacological evidence calls attention to KCNQ potassium channels (also termed Kv7 and M-channels) as potential molecular targets for treatment of neonatal seizures. 9 Loss-of-function mutations in the KCNQ2 and KCNQ3 genes cause benign familial neonatal seizures (BFNS), an uncommon but highly penetrant, dominantly-inherited syndrome characterized by seizures that recur frequently over the first weeks of life. 10-12 Experimental inhibition of KCNQ channels in rodents, by pharmacological and genetic methods, dramatically promotes neuronal and network hyperexcitabi...

Purpose of Review This review presents the current recommended therapeutic interventions for inflammatory disease in the central nervous system (CNS) secondary to systemic diseases of immune dysregulation. Treatment recommendations for CNS inflammation associated with rheumatologic conditions, immune-related adverse effects from immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), and demyelinating disease from tumor necrosis factor-α (anti-TNFs) are explored. Additional therapeutic options for inflammation related to postviral syndromes and genetic immunodeficiencies are also discussed. Recent Findings In addition to treatment of mild, moderate, and severe CNS rheumatologic disease as guided by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR), early consideration of rituximab for severe IgG4-related disease and induction with anti-TNF therapy for severe neurosarcoidosis should be considered. Although often not first line, treatment options for CNS inflammatory diseases based on disease mechanism are emerging, including tocilizumab for Behcet's disease, natalizumab for ICI associated autoimmune encephalitis, and abatacept for treatment of infiltrative disease secondary to CTLA-4 deficiency. Hematopoietic stem cell treatments represent highly efficacious but risky options for autoimmunity related to genetic immunodeficiency. Summary While early high dose steroids remains first line therapy for most CNS inflammatory conditions, a rapidly expanding arsenal of immune targeted therapies offers clinicians tailored disease specific options for treatment.

Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD) is a rare anti-Yo mediated paraneoplastic syndromes rarely that is infrequently associated with breast cancer. We present a case of a 52-year-old female presenting with diplopia, gait instability, dysarthria, dysphagia, nystagmus, and, most notably, new onset paroxysmal episodes of uncontrollable crying concerning for pseudobulbar affect (PBA). Serologic testing showed anti-Yo antibodies. The patient was found to have stage IIIA breast cancer as the inciting cause of the paraneoplastic syndrome. The patient was treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, modified radical mastectomy, adjuvant Herceptin, and pertuzumab. She was given IVIG for paraneoplastic syndrome, antidepressants, and dextromethorphan-quinidine (Nuedexta), the first FDA-approved therapy for PBA. With multimodality therapy, she demonstrated significant improvement in neurologic and mood symptoms associated with PCD and PBA.

Immunotherapy represents a rapidly expanding area of cancer treatment. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), monoclonal antibodies including those targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 or the programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1) axis, function by removing inhibitory signals on T-cell activation 1. While promoting T-cell mediated tumor lysis, ICI’s alter the immune system’s regulatory checkpoints which can lead to a host of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) 2, 3. Here, we describe a patient treated with nivolumab (Opdivo, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey) for non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) over two years who developed overlapping n-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA-R) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) antibody associated autoimmune encephalitis (AE)4. His hospital course was further complicated by dysautonomia responsive to high-dose steroids.

A 46-year-old male experienced progressive neurocognitive decline, weight loss, intermittent headaches, and weakness over 6 months. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed hydrocephalus and the spinal cord imaging showed diffuse leptomeningeal enhancement with prominent nerve root involvement. Intradural biopsy of lumbar arachnoid tissue found mixed inflammatory infiltrate consisting predominantly of histiocytes, S100 and CD68 positivity, and lymphocytophagocytosis (emperipolesis) consistent with extranodal Rosai-Dorfman disease. Rosai-Dorfman disease, a non-Langerhans cell histocytic disorder, can mimic the appearance of neurosarcoidosis and leptomeningeal carcinomatosis and should remain on the differential of a patient presenting with diffuse leptomeningeal enhancement, a common occurrence on a neurohospitalist service.