Friends and neighbors,

Some weeks in rare neurology feel slow. This was not one of them.

What a whirlwind of activity and hope.
We have new clarity in MOGAD, new hope in ALS/MND research and a deep look at some CIDP news.

These are developments that change how Texans talk to their neurologists next week.

Let’s dig in.

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Texas patients woke up today to two breakthroughs that finally give rare-neuro families the thing we never get enough of: time.

First, a global research team reported that MOGAD carries a completely different immune signature than MS — not a cousin disease, not a subtype, but its own neurological identity. For Texans misdiagnosed with MS for years, this opens the door to treatments built specifically for MOGAD instead of hand-me-down MS drugs that never worked.

Second, a University of Sheffield lab announced M102, a molecule that protects motor neurons from ALS/MND degeneration in preclinical models. No drug has ever done that. It’s not in human trials yet, but it’s the first step toward slowing — not just managing — a disease that steals mobility one muscle at a time.

Add in the JAMA warning about ANE (Acute Necrotizing Encephalopathy) spikes after flu season and the first truly positive results in DM1 (myotonic dystrophy), and you get one simple truth:

The science is moving faster than the clinic schedules.
And that’s why Texans need trusted, plain-English updates now more than ever.

Texans living with CIDP aren’t just asking about treatment anymore — they’re asking about navigation, safety, and what’s next.

Here’s what’s new and actually relevant this week:

1️⃣ Home-care monitoring is becoming a serious conversation.
Clinics in Houston and Dallas are piloting home grip-strength and gait-tracking programs using simple phone sensors — not expensive wearable tech. Patients want to know: “Am I getting weaker, or just tired?” These tools may answer that.

2️⃣ Functional endpoints are gaining traction in CIDP trials.
A small but meaningful shift: trial sponsors are adding stair-climb tests, timed walks, and activities-of-daily-living scores, not just INCAT. Texans want trials that measure real-life function — not just clinical scales.

3️⃣ Fatigue management is finally being treated as a clinical priority.
Not the “secondary symptom” doctors used to call it. Texas neurologists report patients missing work, infusions, or daily tasks because fatigue hits harder than weakness.

4️⃣ Tele-neurology is expanding quietly.
UTHealth Houston and Austin-area clinics are testing 6-week virtual follow-ups for stable CIDP patients. That’s hours of driving saved.

4️⃣What to ask at your next visit:
“Can we track my function and fatigue between visits the same way you track strength?”
Care teams are beginning to say yes.

At the University of Sheffield’s SITraN Institute, researchers announced M102, a molecule that activates the body’s own cellular protection systems (NRF2 + HSF1).

In pre-clinical models, M102:

This is not a cure — and no human trials are open yet — but it’s the clearest neuro-protective signal seen in MND research in years.

Texas lens:
ALS Association Texas Chapter should be preparing for potential 2026–2027 trial announcements.

Here are the real-world questions showing up in inboxes and clinic waiting rooms across Texas:

“Was I misdiagnosed with MS?”
→ If MS medications never fit your symptoms, ask about MOG antibody testing.

“Is there hope for ALS now?”
→ M102 isn’t human-ready, but it’s the strongest lab signal we’ve seen in years.

“Should I worry about my child and flu season?”
→ If neurological symptoms follow flu, seek emergency care. ANE is rare but severe.

“Is MG curable with CAR-T?”
→ CAR-T is showing long remissions, but it’s still in trial testing — not mainstream.

“How do I tell MG from ALS?”
→ MG improves with rest. ALS does not. That single clue guides early testing.