A tumor chemical calmed seizure-like activity in lab brain tissue
Original title: The glioma metabolite, D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D-2-HG), reduces synaptic transmission and epileptiform bursts in neocortical slices.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was done on cells in a lab, not in people. It is a very early step.
This was only tested on brain tissue in a lab.
The short version
In lab tests, a chemical made by some brain tumors calmed brain signals instead of sparking seizures.
What was studied. Researchers tested D-2-HG, a chemical made by gliomas with an IDH gene change: A small change in a tumor's IDH gene. It is the first thing your team looks at when naming an adult glioma, and it can affect which treatments are offered. Your pathology report says whether your tumor has it. See the glossary, on thin slices of brain tissue. They checked whether it sparks seizure-like activity.
What they found. The chemical did not set off seizure-like activity in the tissue. In tissue that already had seizure-like bursts, it made the bursts happen less often. It also seemed to weaken the signals that excite nerve cells.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: The study notes that 80% of patients with these tumors have seizures. Scientists thought this tumor chemical might help cause them. This lab study does not back that idea, at least over a short time. It may help scientists look for other causes of these seizures.
What it doesn't mean: This was done on brain tissue in a lab, not in people. The chemical was only tested for a short time. It does not mean D-2-HG could be used as a seizure medicine. This is far from everyday care, and it is not a cure.
Source: PubMed, September 10, 2026 · Read the original
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