Clin. Transl. Neurosci., Volume 10, Issue 2 (June 2026) – 9 articles

Early diagnosis of post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) is crucial for timely intervention. However, it is hampered by the lack of reliable biomarkers. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of current advances in PTE biomarker research, drawing primarily on evidence from human cohort studies, with selective support from experimental animal models where mechanistic insights are required. We cover (i) neuroimaging, including CT, MRI, and EEG/qEEG, which reveal structural and functional alterations associated with epileptogenesis; (ii) molecular biomarkers, including RNAs, proteins, metabolites, and extracellular vesicle (EV)-derived molecules that reflect neuroinflammation, blood–brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction, neuronal injury, and synaptic remodeling; and (iii) artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted approaches, which integrate multimodal datasets to identify complex predictive patterns. While individual modalities offer valuable but incomplete prognostic information, AI-driven analytics hold the greatest promise for early predictive power by combining multimodal data. Future progress will depend on the integration of high-resolution imaging, multi-omics profiling, and rigorous validation to deliver clinically actionable biomarker panels and ultimately reduce the burden of PTE. Full article

Objective: Our objective was to report the successful in situ management of Staphylococcus epidermidis meningitis following intrathecal baclofen pump implantation without removing the device. Design: This was a single case report with clinical follow-up. Subjects/Patients: We discuss a 34-year-old tetraplegic patient with severe generalized spasticity due to cerebral anoxia at birth who developed meningitis six weeks after intrathecal baclofen pump implantation. Methods: We used a multidisciplinary management approach. This involved aggressive intravenous and intrathecal antibiotic therapy while preserving the intrathecal baclofen device. Treatment included intravenous Meropenem. This was followed by intravenous Vancomycin and oral Linezolid. Calculated intrathecal Vancomycin was administered through the implanted pump. Results: The treatment resulted in a complete resolution of infection with negative cerebrospinal fluid cultures and polymerase chain reaction analysis. The patient had significant functional improvement throughout treatment with intrathecal baclofen. Six months post-infection, the patient remained stable, with continued efficacy of intrathecal baclofen and no recurrence of infection. Conclusion: In carefully selected patients with intrathecal baclofen pump-associated Staphylococcus epidermidis meningitis, successful in situ management is possible without device removal, preserving functional benefits while achieving infection eradication through aggressive antibiotic therapy. Full article

Objective: CDCA8 is frequently overexpressed in malignant tumors and linked to poor prognosis. This study evaluated the prognostic significance of CDCA8 expression in glioma patients using the CGGA and TCGA datasets. Methods: Clinical and expression data of glioma patients from CGGA and TCGA were analyzed. CDCA8 expression was compared across subgroups based on tumor grade (GBM vs. LGG) and IDH mutation status, and meta-analyses were performed to assess inter-database differences. Results: This study included 1125 glioma patients from CGGA and TCGA. CDCA8 expression was higher in TCGA GBM (p < 0.001) but comparable between databases in LGG (p = 0.501). CGGA showed lower CDCA8 in IDH-mutant gliomas (p < 0.001), with no difference in IDH-wildtype cases (p = 0.154). CGGA patients had longer overall survival in all above subgroups. Meta-analysis found no significant prognostic association of CDCA8 in GBM, IDH-wildtype and IDH-mutant gliomas. In LGG, high CDCA8 was significantly linked to reduced adverse events (p < 0.001, OR = 0.22, 95% CI [0.11–0.43]). Conclusion: CDCA8 has grade-dependent prognostic roles in gliomas. Its overexpression correlates with poor prognosis in GBM but favorable outcomes in LGG. Inter-database variations support CDCA8 as a promising prognostic biomarker for LGG, and reflect the influences of regional, therapeutic and genetic factors. Full article

(1) Background: Alzheimer’s disease is a common neurodegenerative disease which mainly affects the elderly. The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between handgrip strength and cognitive ability in a geriatric population with early-stage dementia. There are only a few studies that associate handgrip strength with cognitive ability in a population with early-stage dementia. (2) Methods: The present study consists of a sample of 60 individuals with early-stage dementia and was conducted at the Alzheimer’s Association of Athens. Participants’ ages ranged from 65 to 93 years (M = 80 years, SD = 6.05). Specific inclusion and exclusion criteria of the sample were defined. Handgrip strength was assessed using a digital handheld dynamometer, while cognitive ability was measured using the Mini-Mental State Examination Test (MMSE). (3) Results: Descriptive statistics showed that the mean handgrip strength of the dominant upper limb was 144.45 ± 50.47 Newtons, and the mean cognitive score was M = 21.75 (SD = 1.97) (0–30 points). In a multivariable regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, and education, handgrip strength was not significantly associated with MMSE score (B = 0.056, 95% CI: −0.054 to 0.166, p = 0.314). (4) Discussion: There are few studies that correlate cognitive ability with handgrip strength in a population with early-stage dementia; thus, further studies are needed to investigate the present results, possibly with a larger sample size or using different cognitive function measurement tools. (5) Conclusions: Handgrip strength may appear not to be associated with cognitive ability when elderly patients are in early-stage dementia. More research should be conducted to confirm the present findings. Full article

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental condition characterized by inattention, impulsivity, and executive dysfunction, which may influence both the risk and clinical course of sport-related concussion (SRC). This narrative review aimed to synthesize current evidence on the relationship between ADHD and SRC in athletic populations, with a focus on injury risk, symptom presentation, assessment challenges, and recovery trajectories. A targeted narrative review of the literature was conducted to synthesize current evidence on ADHD and sport-related concussion, with emphasis on literature published within the past 10 to 15 years. Studies were selected based on relevance to concussion risk, neurocognitive and symptom assessment, and recovery outcomes in athletes with ADHD, with priority given to methodologically rigorous research involving athletic populations. Available evidence suggests that athletes with ADHD are at an increased risk of SRC, with some studies reporting an approximately twofold increase, potentially due to impairments in inhibitory control and attention regulation. ADHD is also associated with elevated baseline symptom reporting, lower neurocognitive performance, and higher rates of invalid baseline testing, complicating post-injury assessment. Findings regarding recovery are mixed; however, emerging evidence indicates that ADHD may be associated with prolonged return-to-learn and return-to-sport timelines in some populations. Stimulant medication may influence risk and recovery, though results remain inconsistent. Overall, ADHD presents unique challenges in the clinical management of SRC, necessitating individualized, multidisciplinary approaches. Integrating neurocognitive and behavioral considerations into concussion protocols may improve diagnostic accuracy and optimize recovery in this population. Full article

Background: Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder affecting executive functions such as impulse control, focus, and organization. This study addresses three research questions: current models and gaps in ADHD interventions, ways to enhance strengths and address weaknesses, and program recommendations for various ages. The aim is to develop a comprehensive framework to improve ADHD interventions, with a particular focus on youth and addressing existing gaps to enhance effectiveness. Methods: The current study systematically reviews the literature to answer these research questions. Sources were examined to identify existing intervention models, documented strengths and weaknesses, and recommendations relevant to different developmental stages. Results: Findings show that interventions for ADHD are varied and include psychological or behavioural therapy, family-school issues and parent involvement, school-based approaches, and medication. Key challenges include a lack of evidence-based practices, gaps in translational research, and insufficient teacher training. Notable strengths are family-school conference and family input, though there is less emphasis on building problem-solving capacity and family agency. Conclusions: Program recommendations highlighted in the literature include the need for family involvement, matching intervention intensity to individual needs, and ensuring professional education for special education. Addressing these gaps is essential for strengthening ADHD interventions and improving outcomes for children and youth. Full article

Background: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impairments in attention, inhibitory control, working memory, and executive functions, largely associated with dysfunction of prefrontal and frontoparietal networks. Limitations and variable tolerability of pharmacological treatments have motivated interest in nonpharmacological neuromodulatory approaches. Methods: This narrative review was conducted based on a structured search of the PubMed database to identify preclinical and clinical studies investigating the cognitive and neurobiological effects of transcranial photobiomodulation. Studies were selected using predefined keywords related to photobiomodulation, cognition, and ADHD, and included investigations assessing cognitive or neurophysiological outcomes. Results: Across studies, photobiomodulation targeting prefrontal regions was associated with improvements in sustained and selective attention, inhibitory control, working memory, and broader executive functions, accompanied by increased cortical oxygenation, enhanced mitochondrial metabolism, and functional reorganization of prefrontal and frontoparietal networks; preliminary studies in ADHD populations also suggest beneficial effects on attention and working memory. Limitations: The current literature is constrained by the limited number of ADHD-specific clinical studies, heterogeneity in stimulation parameters, variability in cognitive outcome measures, relatively small sample sizes, and limited long-term follow-up. Conclusion: Transcranial photobiomodulation represents a promising, safe, and biologically plausible nonpharmacological strategy for modulating cognitive dysfunctions associated with ADHD; however, well-controlled randomized clinical trials are required to confirm efficacy, define optimal protocols, and establish long-term outcomes. Full article

Non-organic (muscle) weakness (NOw) is proposed as a distinct pathological entity characterized by maladaptive neuroplasticity (learning) affecting motor control. Functional deficits are most directly revealed through the manual muscle testing (MMT) break test, which uniquely exposes a muscle’s ability to adapt to increasing external load, potentially serving as an index of motor control integrity. We advance the “muscle-motor-movement PTSD” (mPTSD) model in which learning during pain or stress (trauma) yields chronic avoidance (inhibition) of the associated muscles. In a second stage, compensatory synergies develop, overriding attempts at hypertrophy-oriented training. This non-systematic, integrative review synthesizes clinical reports, learning theories, motor control and pain literature, and objective tests of force and movement over time during MMT. Predictive processing and reinforcement learning offer complementary accounts of how hyper-precise priors and passive avoidance may maintain NOw beyond functional recovery. Unexplained muscle weakness is found in non-specific musculoskeletal disorders and functional motor disorder (functional weakness), but may also contribute to other conditions, such as kinesiophobia. Effective alternative treatments for NOw may act by updating or erasing maladaptive motor learning by disrupting memory reconsolidation, allowing immediate restoration of function. Analogous to psychoneuroimmunology’s role in immune function, we propose “psychoneurokinesiology”, the study of how maladaptive learning affects movement. Full article