Status epilepticus is associated with changes in metabolic pathways, a new study has shown. Samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma from 78 people with status epilepticus and 107 people without were analysed to identify metabolites that differed in abundance between the groups. A total of 76 metabolites in the plasma and 37 in the CSF were altered in people with status epilepticus. These metabolites indicated involvement of multiple pathways, most notably the tryptophan kynurenine pathway, indicating opportunities for neuroprotective therapy.