AES 2023 | Uncovering overlapping mechanisms of epilepsy and cognitive decline

Christos Lisgaras, PhD, The Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, discusses his work aiming to unravel the mechanisms of overlap between epilepsy and cognitive decline.
Epileptiform activity manifests during sleep in both Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and epilepsy, implicating interictal spikes (IIS) and high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) in cognitive decline by interrupting the process of memory consolidation during sleep. Utilizing a closed-loop protocol for real-time detection and disruption of epileptiform activity during sleep in mice, Dr Lisgaras discovered an improvement in memory. These findings imply that targeted interventions in specific brain areas or subcortical nuclei may enhance memory performance, shedding light on the intertwined aspects of AD and epilepsy. Dr. Lisgaras also expresses enthusiasm for collaborating with clinicians to validate these discoveries in humans, offering promising insights for potential interventions. This interview took place during the American Epilepsy Society (AES) 2023 Annual Meeting congress in Orlando, FL.

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