by Agne Straukiene
Each month the eanNews editorial team reviews the scientific press for recently published papers of outstanding interest to neurologists. Below we present our selection for February 2026.
For our Paper of the Month, go here: Research Paper of the Month: Fremanezumab in Children and Adolescents with Episodic Migraine – eanNews
Edaravone Dexborneol in Acute Ischaemic Stroke Treated with Thrombectomy
The TASTE-2 trial tested whether adding edaravone dexborneol, a combined antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, could improve outcomes in patients with acute ischaemic stroke treated with endovascular thrombectomy. This multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study enrolled 1,362 adults (NIHSS 6–25, ASPECTS 6–10) across 106 centres in China, with treatment started within 24 hours of symptom onset. Participants received intravenous edaravone dexborneol (37.5 mg twice daily) or placebo before and for up to 14 days after thrombectomy.
At 90 days, functional independence (modified Rankin Scale score 0–2) was achieved in 55.0 % of patients treated with edaravone dexborneol compared with 49.6 % in the placebo group (risk difference 5.4 %; P = 0.05). The treatment effect was more pronounced in patients who had an imaging mismatch profile on admission. Serious adverse events occurred at similar rates between groups, and no clear signals of abuse, dependence, or withdrawal emerged.
In summary, the addition of edaravone dexborneol to standard thrombectomy care was associated with a modest increase in functional independence at 90 days without added safety concerns, supporting further study of targeted neuroprotective strategies in acute ischaemic stroke.
Read the paper here: Edaravone dexborneol versus placebo on functional outcomes in patients with acute ischaemic stroke undergoing endovascular thrombectomy (TASTE-2): randomised controlled trial | The BMJ
Long-term air pollution and motor neuron disease
This nested case-control study from Sweden investigated whether long-term exposure to air pollution is linked to the risk and prognosis of motor neuron disease (MND), including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Using national register data, the authors compared 1,463 patients with newly diagnosed MND with 7,310 age- and sex-matched population controls and 1,768 sibling controls. Residential exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10, PM2.5-10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was estimated over up to 10 years using satellite-based models.
Higher long-term exposure to all pollutants was associated with greater odds of MND diagnosis in both population and sibling comparisons. After diagnosis, increased levels of PM10 and NO2 were linked to higher mortality or need for invasive ventilation, and all particulate measures were associated with faster decline in motor and respiratory function.
These results suggest that even relatively low levels of ambient air pollution may contribute to both the development and progression of MND.
Read the paper here: Long-Term Exposure to Air Pollution and Risk and Prognosis of Motor Neuron Disease | Neurology | JAMA Neurology | JAMA Network
Seizure-related biomarkers of SUDEP in drug-resistant focal epilepsy
Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) remains a major cause of premature mortality, yet individual risk prediction is limited. In this prospective, multicentre French study (REPO2MSE), the authors examined seizure-related biomarkers in 1,074 adults with drug-resistant focal epilepsy undergoing in-hospital video-EEG monitoring. During a median follow-up of 6.4 years, 18 definite or probable SUDEP cases were identified and matched to controls.
The strongest association with SUDEP was the presence of an extratemporal epileptogenic zone, particularly involving the perisylvian or frontal regions. Additional risk factors included male sex, obesity (BMI ≥30), and predominantly nocturnal seizures. In contrast, peri-ictal hypoxaemia, heart-rate variability, and antiseizure medication burden were not significantly associated with SUDEP risk.
These findings highlight seizure onset localisation as a clinically relevant biomarker and suggest that improved identification and management of extratemporal epilepsies may contribute to better SUDEP risk stratification and prevention.
Read the paper here: Seizure-related biomarkers of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) in drug-resistant focal epilepsy (REPO2MSE): a prospective, multicentre case–control study – The Lancet Neurology
Clinical–biological staging mismatch in Alzheimer’s disease
This large multicohort study examined how well biological staging of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) based on tau-PET aligns with clinical severity. The authors analysed data from 768 amyloid-positive participants across four observational cohorts and 3,188 autopsy cases from the NACC database. Biological stage was defined using tau-PET Braak staging, while clinical stage was determined using the Alzheimer’s Association clinical framework and CDR scores (Clinical Dementia Rating scale).
Overall agreement between clinical and biological stage was moderate. Concordance was strongest in cognitively unimpaired individuals and those with dementia, but much weaker in transitional decline and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Notably, around 25% of amyloid-positive MCI cases showed no detectable tau pathology. Autopsy data revealed that patients with worse-than-expected clinical impairment almost always had co-existing pathologies, including TDP-43, Lewy body disease, vascular pathology, or FTLD.
These findings highlight that clinical symptoms in AD are often driven by mixed pathology, reinforcing the need for biomarkers beyond amyloid and tau to guide diagnosis, prognosis, and trial design.
Read the paper here: Clinical-biological Alzheimer’s disease stage concordance: insights from cohorts and autopsy data | Brain | Oxford Academic
