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Coverage: 2020-01-01 onwards, with up to 300 results per query from PubMed and Europe PMC and separate limits on other sources. This is a selected index, not a complete literature search.
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Infantile Spasms: Research Summary
Printed from RareWays (rareways.org)
For general awareness only. Not medical advice. Discuss all care options with your healthcare team.
5 Most Recent Research Articles
- 1.
Neuronal monocarboxylate transporter 2 is downregulated and aggravates seizures in a rat model of infantile epileptic spasms.
Liu Jiayu et al., Neurobiology of disease (15 October 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42716231/
- 2.
A homozygous GABRA2 variant associated with infantile spasms evolving to Lennox-Gastaut syndrome alters receptor gating.
De Waele Jolien et al., Neurobiology of disease (14 October 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42874934/
- 3.
Generation of a human induced pluripotent stem cell line, PKUHSCi001-A, from a patient with infantile epileptic spasms syndrome carrying a de novo PHF21A variant.
Yang Yaming et al., Stem cell research (11 October 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42868745/
- 4.
[A case of bilateral open-lip schizencephaly with West syndrome due to variant of PAFAH1B1 gene and literature review].
Liu Xiaojuan et al., Zhonghua yi xue yi chuan xue za zhi = Zhonghua yixue yichuanxue zazhi = Chinese journal of medical genetics (10 October 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42711133/
- 5.
Infantile spasms in Palestine: knowledge, attitudes, and practices among pediatric and primary care physicians and residents
Mamoon Alhaddar et al., BMC Pediatrics (6 October 2026)
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-026-07816-0
Clinical Trials : Australian Sites
Ask your doctor whether you or your child may be eligible for any of these trials. Each has its ID and full eligibility criteria at the link shown.
- 1.
Tricaprilin Infantile Spasms Pilot Study
NCT04727970 · Completed · Phase 1 · Cerecin
Ages 3 Months to 36 Months
https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04727970
Source: RareWays research directory. Data from PubMed, Europe PMC, OpenAlex, ClinicalTrials.gov.
Always verify information with your healthcare team before making any decisions about your care.
Infantile Spasms
Infantile spasms is a rare and serious type of epilepsy that usually begins in the first year of life. Babies have clusters of brief jerks or stiffening, often with a very disorganised brainwave pattern, and development may slow or go backwards. Prompt diagnosis and treatment with medicines such as steroids or vigabatrin give the best chance of stopping the spasms.
This overview is general information, not an individual medical assessment. Research is selected automatically and may include mismatches. How we select and explain research.
Most Recent Research
Infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) is an age-dependent epileptic encephalopathy of the developing brain, yet its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Monocarboxylate transporter 2 (MCT2) maintains cerebral metabolic homeostasis via energy substrate transport, but its role in IESS epileptogenesis is unknown. We found that MCT2 was predominantly expressed in neurons and downregulated in IESS patient specimens. In contrast, in human temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) specimens, MCT2 expression showed no statistically significant difference relative to controls. We observed this downregulation of neuronal MCT2 in an IESS rat model. Transcriptomic analysis 24 h post-spasms revealed enrichment in mitochondrial pathways and oxidative phosphorylation. Consistently, the translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane 20 (TOMM20) was markedly downregulated in the cortex of IESS patients and a betamethasone/N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced rat model, which also displayed ultrastructural mitochondrial damage, reactive oxygen species accumulation, and an imbalanced Bax/Bcl-xL ratio. Following adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated MCT2 knockdown in the neonatal rat somatosensory cortex, we observed that reduced MCT2 expression significantly shortened latency to spasm onset, increased spasm frequency, and exacerbated post-spasm TOMM20 loss. These findings indicate that impaired MCT2-mediated transport may compromise mitochondrial function and lower the threshold for spasm generation, a characteristic feature of this infantile-onset epilepsy. Neuronal MCT2 thus represents a promising therapeutic target for IESS.
Common Questions
What is Infantile Spasms?
Infantile spasms is a rare and serious type of epilepsy that usually begins in the first year of life. Babies have clusters of brief jerks or stiffening, often with a very disorganised brainwave pattern, and development may slow or go backwards. Prompt diagnosis and treatment with medicines such as steroids or vigabatrin give the best chance of stopping the spasms.
How many clinical trials are available for Infantile Spasms?
RareWays currently indexes 33 clinical trials for Infantile Spasms, of which 3 are actively recruiting. These counts cover indexed trials across countries, not just your country. An Australian site does not necessarily mean that site is recruiting. Check locations, eligibility and current availability with the study team.
Where does the research data for Infantile Spasms come from?
RareWays aggregates research from PubMed, Europe PMC, OpenAlex, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Data is refreshed automatically every day. All articles and trials link directly to their original sources.
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