NYU Langone Health Neurologists Present Latest Clinical Findings and Research at AAN 2026

CHICAGO, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Experts from NYU Langone Health's Department of Neurology present their latest clinical findings and research discoveries at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 2026 Annual Meeting, which takes place April 18 to 22 in Chicago.

Among the topics presented:

• Practical strategies to counter harmful medical myths and misinformation
• Phase 3 clinical results for novel epilepsy medication
• The barriers patients with disabilities face while navigating outpatient facilities

"The depth of our faculty's teaching and research acumen is on full display at this year's AAN meeting," said Steven L. Galetta, MD, the Philip K. Moskowitz, MD, Professor and Chair of Neurology in the Department of Neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. "Our patients and our field benefit from the incredible work our scientific community does every day, and this year is another example of what we achieve when we endeavor to discover."

U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals rankings name NYU Langone the No. 1 hospital in the country for neurology and neurosurgery. The Department of Neurology includes 18 divisions and centers.

This year's meeting features more than 80 presentations from Department of Neurology faculty. Below are notable highlights.

Platform Talk: Practical Strategies to Counter Medical Misinformation

Jonathan E. Howard, MD, professor in the Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, director of the neurology service at Bellevue Hospital, and part of NYU Langone's Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Center, has been tackling medical misinformation for many years. His platform talk will cover the origins and relevance of misinformation, as well as strategies to provide patients and the community with accurate information.
"Care and patient outcomes are affected by medical myths and misinformation," said Dr. Howard. "Fortunately, there are practical strategies to counter those negative effects, and I hope the session will amplify these conversations and keep them top of mind for practitioners."

Sunday, April 19, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. CT, McCormick Place West | W185bc. C77—Hot Topics in Clinical Practice

Platform Talk: Phase 3 X-TOLE2 Clinical Trial Results Evaluating Novel Epilepsy Treatment

Jacqueline A. French, MD, professor in the Department of Neurology and an epileptologist at NYU Langone's Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, presents findings from the phase 3 clinical trial testing azetukalner in focal onset seizures. The study, known as X-TOLE2, met its primary endpoint with high statistical significance in both dose groups receiving the oral medication. The 25-milligram dose produced a 53.2 percent median reduction in focal onset seizures (FOS) from baseline, compared with a 10.4 percent reduction by placebo. The 15-microgram dose resulted in a 34.5 percent reduction in FOS. The medicine also showed a safety and tolerability profile consistent with prior studies. Drugmaker Xenon plans to submit a new drug application to the Food and Drug Administration in the third quarter of 2026 to make the treatment available for FOS.

"In addition to promising efficacy data, azetukalner does not require titration, is a once-daily dose, and has not demonstrated meaningful negative interactions with other drugs," said Dr. French, who co-directs epilepsy clinical trials for the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. "It's incredible to see another new therapy potentially become available soon to patients thanks to the rigorous testing of our clinical trial teams."

Sunday, April 19, 5:36-5:42 p.m. CT, McCormick Place West | W375c. LS1—Late-Breaking Science 1

Platform Talk: Exploring How Patients With Disabilities Navigate Healthcare Settings

Mihir Kakara, MD, MSHP, assistant professor in the Department of Neurology and part of NYU Langone's Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Center, presents a qualitative study on how patients with disabilities experience outpatient healthcare environments, the barriers they face, the impact of those barriers, and systemic solutions to improve accessibility. The study was done using a "go-along" method, which involves observing participants moving through an environment and conducting semi-structured interviews along the way. The study of 21 patients using mobility assistive equipment (e.g., wheelchairs or walkers) identified barriers at every stage of a visit, from parking lot to reception to examination to exit. These barriers have significant effects on the experiences and behavior of patients, who might ultimately cancel appointments and delay timely medical care.

"We're hopeful the findings of this study can not only lead to improvements in the design of healthcare settings but inform policy and operations decisions that may positively impact the clinical experience for all patients, specifically older patients and those with disabilities," said Dr. Kakara.

Monday, April 20, 1:24-1:36 p.m. CT, McCormick Place West | W194b. S12—Practice, Policy and Ethics

About NYU Langone Health

NYU Langone Health is a fully integrated health system that consistently achieves the best patient outcomes through a rigorous focus on quality that has resulted in some of the lowest mortality rates in the nation. Vizient Inc. has ranked NYU Langone No. 1 out of 118 comprehensive academic medical centers across the nation for four years in a row, and U.S. News & World Report recently ranked four of its clinical specialties No. 1 in the nation. NYU Langone offers a comprehensive range of medical services with one high standard of care across seven inpatient locations, its Perlmutter Cancer Center, and more than 320 outpatient locations in the New York area and Florida. The system also includes two tuition-free medical schools, in Manhattan and on Long Island, and a vast research enterprise.

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SOURCE NYU Langone Health