Longevity & AgingPlasma Proteins Predict Epilepsy Years Before Diagnosis
Researchers analyzed 2,920 plasma proteins in 52,372 UK Biobank participants over nearly 14 years, identifying 103 proteins significantly associated with incident epilepsy. Neurofilament light polypeptide (NEFL) and growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) showed the strongest associations, with hazard ratios of 2.13 and 1.82 respectively. Pathway analyses revealed a central role for immune response mechanisms. Protein levels showed abnormal trajectory changes up to 15 years before epilepsy diagnosis, and a machine learning model using top-ranked proteins demonstrated meaningful predictive ability for future epilepsy risk. These findings point toward potential blood-based biomarkers and drug targets for earlier epilepsy detection and intervention.
