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Ali Christy, MD, PhD

@oligoclonalband.medsky.social

5.2K followers 2.5K following 1.4K posts

Pediatric Neurologist/Neuroimmunologist • Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Child Neurology • Chair of AAN History Section • neuron embroiderer • she/her www.neurdgames.com www.Neurdle.com

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · Nov 13

I'm honored to share with the Sky that I'm taking on the role of Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Child Neurology, starting in January 2025. I hope to live up to the leadership of my mentors Roger Brumback and Marc Patterson.

Front cover of the Journal of Child Neurology (blue)

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 5h

PERF funds all kinds of research www.pediatricepilepsyresearchfoundation.org, not PERC www.perc-epilepsy.org who did this study (it was a long conference, y'all)

PERF™ (Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundation)

Supporting Advances in the Care of Children with Neurologic Diseases. We encourage and help fund multi-center collaboration and mentorship to accelerate progress in clinical and health services resear...

www.pediatricepilepsyresearchfoundation.org

Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

Quantitative EEG after cardiac arrest can help predict outcomes.

An amazing session directed by Madeline Chadehumbe after a delightful meeting!

I'll leave you with @NotoriousEMG defending his world championship title in peds neuro karaoke, with Superstition.

2026 in Montreal!

Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

Ok I had to take a little break during neuromuscular, back with neurocrit:
TBI and cerebral autoregulation (measured by intracranial pressure): the STARSHIP study shows better autoregulation means better outcomes in mortality and long term sequelae

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

Global pediatric epilepsy burden:
Highest mortality and decreased disability-adjusted life years of epilepsy in areas of lower socio-economic index

Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

Global pediatric neurology:
Non-traumatic coma in African children: mortality rates and prevalence of cerebral malaria and meningitis associated with non-traumatic coma have stayed fairly constant over 50 years, despite improvements in treatment and prevention.

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

Tovorafenib, an oral medication for pediatric low grade glioma: good response rate, broad efficacy, sustained improvement.
Causes hair color change (gray), anemia, elevated CPK. Rarely tumor hemorrhage or seizure. Can decrease growth velocity during treatment.

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

Neuro-oncology with Aimee Sato:
Clinical implications of recent FDA approvals for diffuse midline glioma with H3K27 variation (dordaviprone) - studies EXCLUDED pontine diffuse glioma, so can we say it works for DIPG?

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

@childneurosoc.bsky.social made a statement that autism is multi factorial. There is not one single treatment for autism. Kids and their families need social support, therapies, and support with education.

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

More on the #NDEC: a group of educators discussing ways to use technology in all parts of neurology, especially education ndec.institute

Faculty member Jeff Strelzik: gives 110% everywhere, especially on stage.

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

Neurodevelopmental disabilities:
New version of Capute and Accardo, the fundamental textbook

Genetics! Finding variations in the spliceosome when the exome is normal - deep genotyping and the syndrome of RNU4-2

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

Being female, adolescent and having many symptoms immediately after concussion increases risk of persistent headache.

Early return to cognitive and physical activity!!! Noncontact, sub-symptom threshold aerobic activity should be continued. Consider riboflavin, magnesium early.

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

Headache!
New onset persistent daily headache tends to persist, regardless of treatment by peds neuro.
But up to 7/10 will have some HA improvement in the next year.

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

...but I can't leave you without the haiku:

Thalamic networks
Humming together drive tics
Where to poke the brain?

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

Ok I kind of lost it during the deep brain stimulation discussion because I was being texted about karaoke last night (you should join the Neurology Digital Education Collective, we are educational and nerdy and we ROCK HARD).

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

PRRT2 variation didn't change symptoms in PKD. Being diagnosed with ADHD was found to delay treatment. Lamotrigine works well for both.

Low dose Lamictal
Improves dyskinesias
And -surprise! - more focus

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

Movement disorders IN HAIKU:
Ecopipam works well for tics without a ton of side effects over 12 months.

LOVE THIS. A concise, funny summary in the middle of an absolute fire hose of information? Stealing

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

Cerebral palsy - 8% of children had a genetic variant on whole exome sequencing that was ACTIONABLE (wow) - WES can be preventative care!

Epigenetics: turning on the paternal copy of UBE3A for Angelman syndrome!
Phase 3 trials in process.

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

Neurogenetics with @bainbrainlab.bsky.social!
Clarify what and why you are testing - what it shows, what it doesn't show, what results look like.
"No change found" doesn't mean "no genetic cause."

AAP recs for microarray & Fragile X tests - repeat every few years. Genes don't change, science does.

AAP: genetic evaluation of the child with intellectual disability or global developmental delay

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

DMD is multi systemic - including effects on cognition.
New technologies can help increase independence!

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

Most exciting, FDA-approval of delandistrogene moxeparvovec-rokl (whew): delivers a microdystrophin to the cells. Not a cure, but decreases muscle degeneration.
Requires immunosuppressant therapy. Must be monitored for liver injury - get other specialists involved

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

Neuromuscular:
Many exciting new treatments for DMD: vamorolone may have fewer side effects than steroids.
Exon skipping for genetic variations not covered by current genetic therapies

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

*for (it's been a long week, folks)

Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

New guidelines!
Do continuous EEG or suspected seizures, we're not good at ID'ing clinical seizures in neonates.
Use EEG for aEEG events too
...and if you think a neonate is at risk for seizures, get a cEEG even without clinical events
Can be used for prognosis!
@HopeforHIE @BetsyPilon

ACNS guidelines for continuous EEG in newborns

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

HIE registries are so incredibly important for figuring out the best diagnostic and treatment modalities for these kids. @hopeforhie.org @betsypilon.bsky.social

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Ali Christy, MD, PhD @oligoclonalband.medsky.social · 8h

Neonatal:
Neonates with HIE often don't have an acute sentinel event. On whole genome sequencing, 40% or these children have variants. 3 new genes identified! 9/

Neonatal Neurology with Melanie McNally, MD at Mass Gen

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