Calcified Neurocysticercosis: New Insights Into Brain inflammation, Damage and Epileptogenesis

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the most common helminthic infection of the human central nervous system caused by the larval stage of the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium. Calcification is a common outcome in NCC that carries increased risk for seizures, hippocampal atrophy and sclerosis. Approximately 30% of epilepsy cases in endemic regions are attributed to NCC. The disease is increasingly seen in non-endemic regions due to increased migration worldwide. Calcified granulomas are the most common radiologic finding and are responsible for the burden of disease, yet little research is focused on this important manifestation of NCC. This project aims to advance fundamental knowledge about calcified NCC; the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to calcification are basically unknown. This meeting will focus on establishing collaborative research networks to prioritize the study of calcified NCC, enhance diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, and ultimately improve health outcomes for affected populations by reducing seizure risk and brain inflammation. It will have broad implications for understanding epileptogenesis, neuroinflammation, and scarring. This meeting also includes early-stage investigators and different perspectives on NCC and will reach a large body of researchers in the field by recording and distributing the sessions. Ultimately, this project will amplify the topic of calcified NCC, which contributes to ongoing morbidity worldwide yet is rarely addressed in research questions, because it would be the first meeting of its kind to focus on this topic. Project Number: 1R13NS145607-01A1 | Fiscal Year: 2026 | NIH Institute/Center: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) | Principal Investigator: Christina Coyle | Institution: ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, BRONX, NY | Award Amount: $15,000 | Activity Code: R13 | Study Section: Special Emphasis Panel[ZRG1 SCIL-T (80)] View on NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11390892