Practical Neurology Podcast

A rare sight on the podcast: a paper from the cutting edge of practice, with the novel use of CAR-T cells in treating neurological diseases. Editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller bring a selection of papers from the October 2026 issue of the journal to discuss. Returning to the more commonplace, they present a how-to on conversations around lower back pain. There's the editors' choice for the issue: a majestic paper on suspected encephalitis, as well as non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's, a review of the 2024 McDonald criteria for MS diagnosis, and pitfalls to avoid with oxygen desaturation. Read the issue: https://pn.bmj.com/content/26/5/413  Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Diet continues to be a growing presence in the neurological diagnoses cropping up for the Case Reports team, returning again after its previous appearance with gastric sleeves. The first case (1:25), from UCLH in London, is that of a 49-yo woman, presenting with a history of worsening intermittent headaches and blurred vision. Metabolic testing identified high values for homocysteine and methyl malonic acid. Further probing of the patient's history revealed a previous eating disorder and recent dietary restriction after a bereavement, with subsequent weight loss. She was treated with a course of vitamin supplementation for B2, B6, B9 (folate), and B12, but re-presented again with persistent symptoms. https://pn.bmj.com/content/26/4/400 The second case (22:19) comes from Cork, Ireland. A 19-yo woman presents with gradual onset headache, vomiting and unsteadiness. Her temperature is read at 38.4 ℃, prompting consideration of brain stem infections such as Lyme disease, tuberculosis and listeria. The MRI brain scan returned some unusual findings.  https://pn.bmj.com/content/26/4/395  This episode is the last appearance on the podcast for our dear discussant Dr. Ruth Wood, who - by now an able seaman - is disembarking for new shores. The paper on aquatic neurology may be the high water mark of her years on the podcast, but each episode was a pearl in its own right. Best wishes, Ruth!Further reading: Whippits, nitrous oxide and the dangers of legal highs Beriberi following sleeve gastrectomy Functional vitamin B12 deficiency The case reports discussion is hosted by Prof. Martin Turner¹, who is joined by Dr. Ruth Wood² and Dr. Babak Soleimani³ for a group examination of the features of each presentation, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how the diagnosis was made. These case reports and many others can be found in the August 2026 issue of the journal. (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Clinical Lecturer in Neurology at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, and an Honorary Neurology SpR at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.(3) Clinical Research Fellow, Oxford Laboratory for Neuroimmunology and Immunopsychiatry, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest episodes. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Space, the final frontier. A new domain for the podcast opens, as we learn how astronauts are preparing for Mars transit by lying in bed. But first - the ophthalmology department refers a patient with a swollen optic disc. When is it papilloedema, and when is it not? And what does that have to do with Martian vistas? In this editors' choice podcast, PN podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell interviews Prof. Susan Mollan¹ ², last author of the paper, "How to diagnose papilloedema", published in the August 2026 edition of the journal. From crashing visual loss to pulsatile tinnitus, they discuss the signs in a patient history which can build a picture of their condition. There's a practical walkthrough of the key elements of the eye exam, as well as discussion of the modern tools that are available to assist. Sometimes backup is needed, and Prof. Mollan explains when it's the right time to call the ophthalmologists back, and how to buy yourself extra time on a late Friday shift. Links: Fundoscopy: to dilate or not to dilate? Dr. Andrew Lee Explains Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome in New Whiteboard Video 1. Ophthalmology Department, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada2. Metabolic and Systems Science, University of Birmingham College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Birmingham, England, UK Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest episodes. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. This episode was hosted by PN's podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell. Production by Amy Ross Russell and Brian O'Toole. Editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

The latest highlights from the journal will deliver confidence when managing complex everyday presentations. In this podcast for the August 2026 issue of Practical Neurology, co-editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller present the key highlights from a cracking 100-page edition spanning the full spectrum of neurological care. They examine how to accurately diagnose papilloedema and distinguish swollen optic discs from pseudo-swelling or other mimics. Next, they discuss a comprehensive guide to the Parkinson's disease follow-up consultation, focusing on non-motor symptoms, lifestyle advice, and long-term management. The editors also explore a structured approach to assessing neurogenic bladder, bowel, and sexual dysfunction, before covering the key clinical clues and investigations for evaluating pulsatile tinnitus. They also review the intricate link between chronic kidney disease and cognitive impairment, and finish with a critical look at the practical uses and limitations of subhairline EEG monitoring in neurocritical care. Read the issue: https://pn.bmj.com/content/26/4 Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Brian O'Toole, Nick Currey and Letícia Amorim. Thank you for listening.

In this special episode coming live from the Association of British Neurologists (ABN) annual meeting in Birmingham, Practical Neurology co-editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller join hosts Ruth Wood and Babak Soleimani to discuss the perennial clinical and educational value of case reports in which, in a rare event, the patients are actually referred to directly by their first names. The team discusses two compelling, patient-centered narratives. They look at a complex case of refractory focal epilepsy from 2024 where the patient actively partnered in the high-stakes decision to balance seizure freedom against a predicted post-surgical motor deficit.  A review of a poignant "Me and My Neurological Illness" piece written in 2016 by a prominent epileptologist is a reflection on his subtle subacute presentation of autoimmune encephalitis,  how a doctor's baseline cognitive reserve can mask complex focal seizures, and the unique clinical and personal challenges faced when dealing with medical colleagues who lack diagnostic insight into their own condition. Archive papers discussed in this episode: Case Report 1: Complicated epilepsy surgery: importance of balancing benefit and deficit. https://pn.bmj.com/content/24/5/393 Case Report 2: Me and my neurological illness. Autoimmune limbic encephalitis due to VGKC-Ab. Thanks for the memory. Leo Robin (Title of song, 1937).  https://pn.bmj.com/content/16/2/162   Read the full papers on Practical Neurology.   Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest episodes. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Brian O'Toole, Letícia Amorim and Pritesh Kapadia. Thank you for listening.

What's the real difference between a night owl and a morning lark? The Editors' Choice paper for the June 2026 issue of Practical Neurology is a review of all the ways sleep intersects with neurological practice. Last author Prof. Guy Leschziner¹ joins PN podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell to the wide variety of sleep-related disorders: insomnia, hypersomnolence, and sleep-related movement disorders. Each category contains pitfalls to be avoided when treating, like overlooking critical signs or reaching for drugs too eagerly. You'll also learn about "sleep reactivity", teenage sleep patterns in the animal kingdom, and diagnostic insight that can be gained from partners. Sleep neurology: pearls and pitfalls 1. Sleep Disorders Centre, Guy's and St Thomas’ Hospitals NHS Trust, London, England, UK Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest episodes. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. This episode was hosted by PN's podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell. Production by Amy Ross Russell and Brian O'Toole. Editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

The latest highlights from the journal are set to give confidence when trying something new. In this podcast for the June 2026 issue of Practical Neurology, co-editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller bring a distillation of the wisdom found in the journal's pages. They explain the crucial role of a Zeitgeber for healthy sleep cycles, question the involvement of drugs like SSRIs in seizures, and share a transatlantic follow-up to the ABN myasthenia gravis guidelines which provides an approach to optimising over all patient well-being.  There's also a guide to recent treatment of Parkinson's using foslevodopa-foscarbidopa infusion, also known as Produodopa. Then the editors explore the structure of the retina while touching on optic neuritis, and finish with limb-shaking transient ischaemic attacks, an early warning signal for stroke. Listen to the very end for some editorial insight into practical uses for the podcast itself! Read the issue: https://pn.bmj.com/content/26/3/205 Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

It's the return of Merlin. Not the birdsong identification app this time, but the Rolls-Royce Merlin - engine of the historic Supermarine Spitfire warplane. The Case Reports trio are faced with another set of patient puzzles to work through in this latest episode. In the first case (1:25), a 68-yo man, retired from farming, presents with a 6-year history of behavioural changes. Most notably, he had developed a sense of great pleasure in listening to engine sounds, like those of the historic aircraft flying over his house. He had become increasingly emotionally detached and ritualistic, and gained a sweet tooth. MR scans of the brain revealed an uncommon syndrome. https://pn.bmj.com/content/26/2/169 The second case (21:15) relates to a 47-yo woman who developed abnormal movements in all of her limbs. She had undergone a complex cardiac surgery 12 years before, and another prolonged cardiac surgery within recent weeks. The case discusses the longterm follow-up of her treatment for these involuntary movements. https://pn.bmj.com/content/26/2/157    The case reports discussion is hosted by Prof. Martin Turner¹, who is joined by Dr. Ruth Wood² and Dr. Babak Soleimani³ for a group examination of the features of each presentation, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how the diagnosis was made. These case reports and many others can be found in the April 2026 issue of the journal. (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Clinical Lecturer in Neurology at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, and an Honorary Neurology SpR at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.(3) Clinical Research Fellow, Oxford Laboratory for Neuroimmunology and Immunopsychiatry, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://bit.ly/4aXF46i). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

What should a neurologist do when a routine MRI for migraine reveals incidental white matter lesions that look remarkably like Multiple Sclerosis (MS), despite the patient having no neurological symptoms?The Editors' Choice paper for the April 2026 issue of Practical Neurology is a practical guide to the clinical diagnosis and management of radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS). Author Dr. Audrey Reynolds¹ joins PN podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell to discuss her work on how updated diagnostic criteria and advanced imaging markers now enable a more proactive, biological approach to the disease.Their discussion highlights the importance of risk stratification - using tools like CSF analysis and spinal imaging - to identify those most likely to benefit from early intervention with disease-modifying therapies. They also examine the delicate balance between preventing future disability and avoiding misdiagnosis in this rapidly evolving area of neurology.Read the paper: Radiologically isolated syndrome: a practical guide.(1) St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin; University College Dublin, Ireland Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest episodes. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. This episode was hosted by PN's podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell. Production by Amy Ross Russell and  Brian O'Toole. Editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

In this Practical Neurology bonus international podcast linked to the February issue, host Alasdair Coles (Cambridge, UK) is joined by movement disorder specialist Dr. Ashley Paul (Johns Hopkins, US) and epilepsy expert Dr. Lata Vadlamudi (Brisbane, Australia) to discuss the integration of bone health into neurology clinics. They discuss the identification of osteoporosis in patients on steroids or anti-seizure medications and evaluate the use of FRAX assessment tools for neurological populations. They also address the implementation of screening protocols and checklists to prevent fragility fractures. Read the related paper: Osteoporosis and fracture risk: a practical guide for neurologists Participants: Professor Alasdair Coles is Head of Department for Clinical Neuroscience and also Co-Director of the Cambridge Centre for Myelin Repair, UK. Associate Professor Lata Vadlamudi, Senior Staff Specialist in Neurology at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Australia. Dr. Ashley Paul, Assistant Professor of Neurology in the Division of Movement Disorders at Johns Hopkins University, USA. Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Letícia Amorim. Thank you for listening.

As with any Darwinian subject, neurology is under constant evolution. This podcast for the April 2026 issue of Practical Neurology has co-editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller taking a look at some intriguing specimens from the neurological field. Populating the menagerie for this episode are the "reversed clock phenomenon", a new study on brain problems in retired sportspersons, a practice guide for biosimilar drugs, and a look at GLP-1 drugs. Also found inside are the "nocebo effect", radiologically isolated syndrome for multiple sclerosis identification, and a weighing up of stenting vs shunting. Read the issue: https://pn.bmj.com/content/26/2/103   Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

What unsuspecting dangers lie within a garden compost bin? The Case Reports team are back to uncover a new pair of neurological mysteries. The first case this episode (1:24) comes from Edinburgh, centred on an 88-yo woman who presents with headache and eye-pain on her right side. She receives an early diagnosis of migraine, but returns a few weeks later with intermittent vomiting and subsequent progressive visual loss. https://pn.bmj.com/content/26/1/83  The second case (19:51) from Wessex features a common presentation of tingling feet, with a 62-yo man who develops gait instability. More curious are a significant drop in his weight, as well as a scaly patch on his chest. https://pn.bmj.com/content/26/1/63   The case reports discussion is hosted by Prof. Martin Turner¹, who is joined by Dr. Ruth Wood² and Dr. Babak Soleimani³ for a group examination of the features of each presentation, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how the diagnosis was made. These case reports and many others can be found in the February 2026 issue of the journal. (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Clinical Lecturer in Neurology at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, and an Honorary Neurology SpR at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.(3) Clinical Research Fellow, Oxford Laboratory for Neuroimmunology and Immunopsychiatry, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://bit.ly/4aXF46i). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Many patients will affirm seeing clouds shaped like animals or other similar phenomena, which is why confirming pareidolia (seeing meaningful images in meaningless visual stimuli) is such a tricky symptom in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). While it may not be exclusive to DLB, placing such symptoms in the context of "the company it keeps" is a key method to narrowing down the diagnosis. The Editors' Choice paper for the February 2026 issue of Practical Neurology is a practical guide to the clinical diagnosis and management of DLB. Authors Dr. Sarah Fullam¹ ² and Dr. Seán O'Dowd¹ ³ join PN podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell to discuss their work. They describe the importance of the initial examination, from the patient's gait to difficulties in word retrieval. They also touch on challenges in the use of biomarkers, which drugs may be helpful, and how to advise patients and their carers. Read the paper: Dementia with Lewy bodies: a practical guide to clinical diagnosis and management Special thanks to The Podcast Studios Dublin for their assistance with the recording of this episode.(1) Tallaght Institute of Memory and Cognition, Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland(2) Trinity College Dublin School of Medicine, Dublin, Ireland(3) Trinity College Dublin Academic Unit of Neurology, Dublin, Ireland Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest episodes. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. This episode was hosted by PN's podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell. Production by Amy Ross Russell and  Brian O'Toole. Editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

When a patient says, "I biffed the car," how should that be translated? Puzzles like this represent the gap between description and diagnosis, and are a critical part of neurological practice. In this podcast for the February 2026 issue of Practical Neurology, editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller take turns decoding some of the mysteries of everyday neurology. They cover dementia with Lewy bodies, osteoporosis and fracture risk, and anxiety and depression in epilepsy patients, as a sample of some of the published work in the latest journal. There's also a guide to the latest stroke rehabilitation guidelines, freezing of gait, and a farewell to a 'nom de plume'. Read the issue: https://pn.bmj.com/content/26/1/1   Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Eye pain can be a source of serious concern for patients, bringing worries about their eyesight. While uveitis is far from the only source of ocular pain, in many presentations of the condition it is a feature. In this Editors' Choice podcast, ophthalmic surgeon Mr. Harry Petrushkin¹ ² and neurologist Dr. Ruth Dubson³ join forces to explain a comprehensive approach to uveitis treatment. Host Dr. Amy Ross Russell leads the way through a refresher on eye anatomy and the spectrum of uveitis patients neurologists are likely to encounter. These are often the more serious of patients, requiring good working relationships across disciplines. They also speak of the overlap with neuroinflammatory presentations, and the eye manifestations seen in conditions like multiple sclerosis and sarcoidosis. Read the paper: Uveitis for Neurologists (1) Uveitis and Scleritis Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK(2) Rheumatology Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Trust, London, UK(3) Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University London, London, UK Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production by Amy Ross Russell and Brian O'Toole. Editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Another set of intriguing cases from the latest issue of the journal, pored over by the Case Reports team.  In the first case, a 24-yo man presents acutely with reduced consciousness, following 3 days of right-sided headache. His mother reports sudden behavioural changes with jerky movements and enlarged pupils. He is agitated, not obeying commands and not moving his left-side limbs. He had a history of autism and vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and was on medication for stroke prevention. An MRI scan led to a differential diagnosis of Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES), but the final conclusion came post-discharge after a further review of his scans.  https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/6/549 The second report (19:37) describes two curious instances of functional neurological disorder (FND), both of which improved after the patients were in comatose states. The first patient is a 59-yo man who had developed muscle weakness shortly after at car crash at age 49, and had subsequently been reliant on a wheelchair for more than 8 years. Recently the patient had been infected simultaneously with severe cases of flu and COVID-19, during which he had been sedated and placed in an induced coma for several weeks. Awakening from the coma, the patient showed surprising signs of new mobility. In the second patient, a 40-yo woman presented with flaccid paralysis of her left arm, with loss of sensation up to the shoulder. She had a history of bipolar disorder and agoraphobia. She was diagnosed with FND and participated in physiotherapy and hypnotherapy with no improvement. Thirteen months later she was readmitted following an overdose on a mix of analgesics and sedatives, and was ventilated in the ITU for several hours. Upon waking the patient noticed that her previously paralyzed arm had completely recovered. https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/6/562 Further reading: Advances in functional Neurological disorder (BMJ Neurology Open)   The case reports discussion is hosted by Prof. Martin Turner¹, who is joined by Dr. Ruth Wood² and Dr. Babak Soleimani³ for a group examination of the features of each presentation, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how the diagnosis was made. These case reports and many others can be found in the December 2025 issue of the journal. (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Neurology Registrar, University Hospitals Sussex.(3) Clinical Research Fellow, Oxford Laboratory for Neuroimmunology and Immunopsychiatry, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Neurology requires some detective work at times, and identifying the patterns of symptoms associated with drug misuse can be a tricky mystery indeed. For this episode, we're receiving a masterclass from Dr. Robin Howard¹ on the wide variety of drugs that bring patients into hospital, as well as the mechanisms they act on. His paper "Neurological aspects of drug misuse" is the Editors' Choice for the October 2025 issue, and he joins PN podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell in the studio. From the new dangers of synthetic psychoactives to the profound consequences of chronic use, the discussion unveils critical clinical presentations every neurologist should recognize. We delve into fascinating phenomena including "punding," compulsive repetitive behaviors seen with stimulant abuse, and the rare but striking CHANTER syndrome, with its signs of disturbed consciousness and extensive cerebellar involvement. Hear too about the distinctive spongiform leukoencephalopathy associated with "chasing the dragon," a dangerous method of heroin inhalation, but which can also be caused by cocaine usage.   Read the paper: https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/5/411   (1) Guy's and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK   Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production by Amy Ross Russell and Brian O'Toole and editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Who do we need to scan? Behind the constant considerations of irradiation risk and resource usage, there is nuance to be found. Parkinson's disease - being a clinical diagnosis - doesn't suggest a need for imaging, yet one case in this issue argues that should not be an absolute rule. Another paper brings in the context of a specific patient: does one man really need 50 CT scans in his life? There's also an unboxing of uveitis, diagnosis of Alexander disease in adults, and an exploration of connections between the microbiome and neurology. This being the fifth(!) Christmas podcast for editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller, they finish with the annual crossword and book club update, featuring hot cross buns and hummingbirds. Read the issue: https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/6/501   Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Two new cases from the latest issue of the journal present the podcast team with some rare explanations, and a chance to test yourself on food trivia. In the first case (1:18), from Malaysia, a 49-yo left-handed woman develops 10 days of recurrent left-sided focal facial seizures. These seizures progressed to epilepsia partialis continua, which is controlled with some difficulty by employing a broad range of six different anti-seizure medications. Further symptoms arose during monitoring, including emotional lability as well as dystonia, left arm dysfunction, dysphasia and dysarthria. EEG imaging showed focal slowing in the right hemisphere. https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/5/475 The second case (22:20) features a Northamptonshire chef in her 60s, who presents to the emergency department with a week-long history of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. This progressed to dysphagia and dypsnoea, as well as a downshift in the pitch of her voice. Her conditioned worsened, with respiratory arrest requiring CPR to re-establish circulation. Neurological examination was initially done while sedated, showed fixed and dilated pupils.  https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/5/493 Overloaded with Greek terms today? Here are some definitions from BMJ Best Practice and NHS UK: Dystonia is a movement disorder characterised by sustained involuntary muscle contractions and abnormal postures of the trunk, neck, face, or extremities. Dysphasia, also known as aphasia, is an acquired impairment of language that affects comprehension and production of words, sentences, and/or discourse. Dysarthria is difficulty with speaking, caused by damage or weakness of the muscles needed for speech. Dysphagia is difficulty with the act of swallowing solids or liquids. Dyspnoea, also known as shortness of breath or breathlessness, is a subjective sensation of breathing discomfort. The case reports discussion is hosted by Prof. Martin Turner¹, who is joined by Dr. Ruth Wood² and Dr. Babak Soleimani³ for a group examination of the features of each presentation, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how the diagnosis was made. These case reports and many others can be found in the October 2025 issue of the journal. (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Neurology Registrar, University Hospitals Sussex.(3) Clinical Research Fellow, Oxford Laboratory for Neuroimmunology and Immunopsychiatry, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

In this special international episode, we explore the 2025 update of the Association of British Neurologists’ guidelines on managing autoimmune myasthenia gravis. Ten years after the previous recommendations, significant changes have been introduced. We emphasise the importance of daily steroids, early thymectomy, rituximab, and emerging targeted therapies transforming patient care. We also examine how these updates influence frontline care in the UK, Australia, and the USA, and why a multidisciplinary approach remains vital in the management of MG.   Participants: Professor Alasdair Coles is Head of Department for Clinical Neuroscience and also Co-Director of the Cambridge Centre for Myelin Repair, UK. Associate Professor Katherine Buzzard, Clinical Lead, Eastern Health Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Service, Melbourne, Australia. Dr. Christopher Doughty, MD is a board-certified neurologist, and affiliated with Brigham and Women's Hospital, in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Read the paper (https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/5/422), which is part of the October issue of the Practical Neurology journal.   Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Letícia Amorim. Thank you for listening.

Another packed episode for this month's issue of the journal. There's a special emphasis on case reports this time, showing their value as a way to understand the rarely encountered. For the more common conditions there are guidelines, and the editors give you an introduction to the new ABN guidelines on myasthenia gravis, as a preview to an upcoming full episode on the topic. There's a birder's take on the use of EEG for status epilepticus, a review of the benefits and challenges for digital health records, and some deliberation on ophthalmological pronunciation. Plus, an opportunity to test your knowledge on illicit drug slang: do you know your "jeff" from your "khat"? Read the highlights: https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/5/391   Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production by Brian Kennedy, Letícia Amorim. Editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

The wonders of the animal kingdom make an absorbing reappearance this episode, so grab your scuba mask before listening - or your chef’s hat. The first case this month is the kind that even an experienced neurologist would be nervous to encounter (1:35). A holidaymaker in his sixties presents to the emergency department with vomiting, dizziness, and an inability to walk, amongst several other symptoms. A suspicion of stroke was quickly replaced by a different hypothesis following discussions with the patient’s family members. https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/4/377   The second case follows a presentation over the span of multiple decades (18:44). A woman first presents in her thirties with extreme lethargy and occasional migraines. She was diagnosed with panhypopituitarism and treated with steroid replacement. Following breast cancer in her late forties, treated by surgery and radiotherapy, the migraines worsened, prompting further investigation. https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/4/359   The case reports discussion is hosted by Prof. Martin Turner¹, who is joined by Dr. Ruth Wood² and Dr. Babak Soleimani³ for a group examination of the features of each presentation, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how the diagnosis was made. These case reports and many others can be found in the June 2025 issue of the journal. (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Neurology Registrar, University Hospitals Sussex.(3) Clinical Research Fellow, Oxford Laboratory for Neuroimmunology and Immunopsychiatry, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production by Brian Kennedy, Letícia Amorim. Editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

"This is a disorder that you don't want to miss", says Prof. Jon Stone¹, describing the condition at the heart of this episode, alongside co-author Dr. Huw Green². Their paper "Health anxiety in a neurological setting" is the subject of the Editors' Choice podcast for the August 2025 issue, hosted by Dr. Amy Ross Russell. They cover the assumptions to avoid, the problematic pattern of patient reassurance and return, effective treatment methods, and even touch on a light bit of existentialism. Read the paper: https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/4/330 See also: https://neurosymptoms.org/ (1) Neuropsychology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK (2) Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production by Amy Ross Russell and Brian O'Toole, editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Simplification is everything - that's the message for the latest issue of the journal. Assisted by a cast of characters including Albert Einstein and deep sea sponges, your editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller take on topics from hyponatraemia to health anxiety. You'll also find bread and butter epileptology, somatosensory evoked potentials, creatine kinase, and a guide for exploring the hinterlands of essential tremor.   Read the issue: https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/4/297    Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

In the latest bonus podcast, the practical use of intravenous immunoglobulin is discussed with perspectives from three continents. Participants: Professor Alasdair Coles is Head of Department for Clinical Neuroscience and also Co-Director of the Cambridge Centre for Myelin Repair, UK. Dr. Lynette Kiers is a Clinical Associate Professor at The University of Melbourne, and Director of Clinical Neurophysiology at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia. Dr. Christopher Hahn is a Clinical Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine, and the Medical Director of the Calgary Neuromuscular Program, Canada. Read the paper (https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/3/228) which is part of the June issue of the Practical Neurology journal.   Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Letícia Amorim. Thank you for listening.

Gastric sleeve surgery is the key feature of a pair of recent cases from the journal, which start this episode (1:17). Both cases feature 25-yo women with presentations in common: paraesthesia and limb weakness, along with disordered eye movement. Their symptoms arose soon after the gastrectomy operation. https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/3/268  The second report is a "true grey case" (22:14), with a myriad of presenting symptoms in a 27-yo man: fevers, weight loss, lethargy, light sensitivity, and skin plaques around the nose and mouth. Steroid treatment was started with a suspicion of a connective tissue disease, but was halted when his condition soon worsened. Some feathered friends of the podcast shine a light on the diagnosis.https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/3/253  The case reports discussion is hosted by Prof. Martin Turner¹, who is joined by Dr. Ruth Wood² and Dr. Babak Soleimani³ for a group examination of the features of each presentation, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how the diagnosis was made. These case reports and many others can be found in the June 2025 issue of the journal. (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Neurology Registrar, University Hospitals Sussex.(3) Clinical Research Fellow, Oxford Laboratory for Neuroimmunology and Immunopsychiatry, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production by Amy Ross Russell and Brian O'Toole, editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

A neuroinflammatory disorder with the potential to affect virtually any organ in the body, IgG4-related disease is a challenge on many fronts. The latest Editors' Choice paper in the June 2025 issue takes on this systemic disease, presenting a treatment algorithm for its management. This episode, PN's podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell speaks with author Dr. Claire Rice. Hear an overview on the disease background, the signs in presentation, what to look for in the histology, and steroid treatment strategy.    Read the paper: IgG4-related disease in the nervous system    Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production by Amy Ross Russell and Brian O'Toole. Editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

This episode’s theme is new diseases, whether they are newly described, or old diseases back in a new form. We start off with IgG4-related disease, a chronic multisystem disorder that is still being understood. Then there is a genetics paper on repeat expansion disorders, a group of conditions often thought as disparate but with quite a few commonalities. Next along is a fascinating case following gastric sleeve bariatric surgery, highlighting the dangers of travelling for unsupervised surgeries, and raising the question, “Are you getting enough soil in your diet?” There’s also a discussion of what else Hoover’s sign might represent, and the evolution of immunoglobulin use. Closing the episode is a paper offering a masterclass on the assessment of best interests in prolonged disorder of consciousness.   Read the issue: https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/3/199   Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Two wide open cases from the latest issue of the journal. Starting with a case from Italy (1:18), of a 63-yo man having a history of behavioural and cognitive problems since retiring. His many changes included low mood, significant weight loss, and problems with sleep and temperature regulation. He had a background of type 2 diabetes. Initial treatment was on a suspicion of Alzheimer's, but there was no clinical improvement. https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/2/159  A case from the United States is next (17:36), featuring a 66-yo lady experiencing 10 days of generalised weakness, with episodes of forgetfulness and a series of falls. She had previously been treated for left-sided ophthalmic herpes zoster. Neurological examination showed mild right arm and leg weakness. https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/2/164    The case reports discussion is hosted by Prof. Martin Turner¹, who is joined by Dr. Ruth Wood² and Dr. Babak Soleimani³ for a group examination of the features of each presentation, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how the diagnosis was made. These case reports and many others can be found in the April 2025 issue of the journal. (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Neurology Registrar, University Hospitals Sussex.(3) Clinical Research Fellow, Oxford Laboratory for Neuroimmunology and Immunopsychiatry, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors can significantly improve cancer survival rates. But resulting immune-related toxicities are common, requiring multidisciplinary cooperation between oncology and neurology.  This episode, PN's podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell speaks with a panel of experts on the balancing act required when treating cancer patients with these new drugs. Oncologist Dr. Heather Shaw¹ is alongside neurologists Dr. Aisling Carr² and Dr. Mark Willis³, and they are amongst the authors of the editors' choice paper for the latest issue of Practical Neurology. Read the paper: Neurological complications of immune checkpoint inhibitors: a practical guide  (1) Department of Oncology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, London, UK(2) Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK(3) Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production by Letícia Amorim, Brian Kennedy, Amy Ross Russell and Brian O'Toole. Editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

The latest guidelines on disease-modifying treatment in multiple sclerosis (MS) from the Association of British Neurologists is discussed in this intercontinental podcast with perspectives from the UK, the USA, and Australia.   Participants: Professor Alasdair Coles is Head of Department for Clinical Neuroscience and also Co-Director of the Cambridge Centre for Myelin Repair, UK. Dr. Tamara Kaplan is Assistant Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, and is also affiliated with the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, USA. Professor Michael Barnett is a consultant neurologist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Sydney, Central Clinical School, and Director of the RPAH MS Clinic and the MS Clinical Trials Unit at the Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Australia. Read the paper (https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/1/18) which is part of the February issue of the Practical Neurology journal.   Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Letícia Amorim. Thank you for listening.

It's a podcast of pairs this time, for the latest issue of the journal. There's two hosts, two halves of the brain, two sides to a clinical debate, and two themes to the episode itself. Leading off is a discussion on peripheral neurology, taking a look at the editors' choice paper on immune checkpoint inhibitors. That's followed by a paper on secondary hypertension, and another on small fibre neuropathies. The second half covers elements of cognitive neurology, including a topic with increasing awareness - that of brain fog. There's the dramatically named STOP-BANG questionnaire, a notable appearance from a monkey, and a reflection on modern practices for cognitive assessment. Read the issue: https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/2/101 Listen to Dr. Laura McWhirter on the JNNP podcast: Brain fog demystified Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production by Letícia Amorim and Brian O'Toole. Editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

A puzzling pair of Case Reports from the most recent issue of the journal. First up (1:35) is a man in his mid-fifties, presenting with lumbar spine fractures, which then developed into confusion, vomiting, and abdominal pain. An x-ray showed dilated intestinal loops and his blood sodium levels were low. https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/1/87 The second case (23:06) involves a 21-yo woman, who presented  at 18 weeks pregnant with multiple episodes of right upper limb tonic extension, and subsequently developed new-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE). https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/1/56    The case reports discussion is hosted by Prof. Martin Turner¹, who is joined by Dr. Ruth Wood² and Dr. Xin You Tai³ for a group examination of the features of each presentation, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how the diagnosis was made. These case reports and many others can be found in the February 2025 issue of the journal. (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Neurology Registrar, University Hospitals Sussex.(3) Clinical Academic Fellow, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, and Neurology Specialty registrar, Oxford University Hospital.  Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Letícia Amorim and Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Intermittent painful spasms, stiffness and rigidity of the proximal and truncal muscles are only a few symptoms of the relatively uncommon Stiff-person syndrome (SPS). In this podcast, we delve into the characteristics and diagnosis of this complex autoimmune condition. PN's podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell interviews Professor Saiju Jacob (University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK). The paper is the Editor's Choice paper of the February issue of Practical Neurology. The episode is released to coincide with world Encephalitis day. For more information about World encephalitis day, or encephalitis international please follow this link: https://www.encephalitis.info/world-encephalitis-day/  Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production by Letícia Amorim and Brian O'Toole. Editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

The practice of neurology is constantly changing, and the papers in this issue exemplify that trend. On this episode, journal editors Dr. Geraint Fuller and Prof. Philip Smith discuss their highlights from the latest issue of Practical Neurology, for February 2025. They begin with the editors' choice paper on stiff person syndrome, then speak about new guidance from the ABN on disease-modifying treatments for MS. There's also life-improving interventions for posterior cortical atrophy, changing attitudes towards stroke as a career option for neurologists, and management techniques for cryptococcal meningitis - including a resourceful substitute for India ink.  Read the issue: https://pn.bmj.com/content/25/1/1  Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production by Letícia Amorim and Brian O'Toole. Editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Two more fascinating Case Reports from the latest issue of the journal. The first case (1:15) is of a 57-yo woman, with an intermittent posterior headache, which had an associated bilateral pressure-like sensation. Her symptoms had begun on a recent trip to Sri Lanka. https://pn.bmj.com/content/24/6/526  Following on is the second case (22:18), which features a 54-yo man experiencing deterioration in his speech and mobility. He had a background of chronic HIV infection with ongoing treatment. https://pn.bmj.com/content/24/6/507   The case reports discussion is hosted by Prof. Martin Turner¹, who is joined by Dr. Ruth Wood² and Dr. Xin You Tai³ for a group examination of the features of each presentation, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how the diagnosis was made. These case reports and many others can be found in the December 2024 issue of the journal. (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Neurology Registrar, University Hospitals Sussex.(3) Clinical Academic Fellow, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, and Neurology Specialty registrar, Oxford University Hospital.  Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Letícia Amorim and Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

It’s the Christmas Special for 2024! Joining Amy in the studio is Dr. Steven Lewis. Current secretary general of the World Federation of Neurology, Steven is based in the United States, where he works as a general neurologist. Their conversation builds on a recent article by Dr. Bas Bloem, "Islands and bridges in healthcare: the importance of general neurology”. Listen in for insights on the differences in training and practice in the US and UK, the value of developing a network as a neurologist, and the enduring need for general neurology’s broad diagnostic approach. Related links: "Welcome to the mainland: general neurology’s role in rescue from the islands of subspecialisation", the editorial by Dr. Steven Lewis "In defence of general neurology", an editorial by Dr. Neil Anderson Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Letícia Amorim, Amy Ross Russell, and Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

The often challenging diagnosis of neuromuscular junction (NMJ) disorders can be explained by suspicious red flags for the key differential diagnoses (mimics) and atypical presentations (chameleons).  In the latest Editor's Choice paper podcast, PN's podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell interviews Dr Stephen Reddel and Dr Shadi El-Wahsh, both from the Concord Hospital, New South Wales, Australia, and the authors of Neuromuscular junction disorders: mimics and chameleons. Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Letícia Amorim, Amy Ross Russell, and Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Neuromuscular junction disorders can present in a variety of challenging ways, with the potential to mislead neurologists. Journal editors Prof. Philip Smith and Dr. Geraint Fuller begin with this subject as they talk through the latest issue of Practical Neurology, for December 2024. The conversation moves to neck flexion and brain zaps, reflects on the undiminished importance of "general" neurology, and also touches on maternal epilepsy risks, frailty's impact on stroke patients, timely recognition of glaucoma, and sustainable practices for green physicians. To finish, there's the now-traditional recital of eponymous syndromes. Read the issue: https://pn.bmj.com/content/24/6  Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production by Letícia Amorim and Brian O'Toole. Editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

The immune system is a recurring feature in the cases discussed in this edition of the Case Reports podcast. The first paper details the cases of two young women, sisters, presenting with overlapping conditions but resulting in tragically different outcomes (1:16). Both were in their twenties, had given birth recently, and developed limb weakness along with several other neurological symptoms. https://pn.bmj.com/content/24/5/422 Our second case is a 72-yo woman with a range of symptoms including diplopia, ptosis, myalgia, and worsening shortness of breath (21:27). She had had surgical resection of a malignant melanoma, and was receiving immunotherapy treatment. Her presentation resembled myasthenia gravis, but initial treatment did not yield a response. https://pn.bmj.com/content/24/5/428  The case reports discussion is hosted by Prof. Martin Turner¹, who is joined by Dr. Ruth Wood² and Dr. Xin You Tai³ for a group examination of the features of each presentation, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how the diagnosis was made. These case reports and many others can be found in the October 2024 issue of the journal. (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Neurology Registrar, University Hospitals Sussex.(3) Clinical Academic Fellow, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, and Neurology Specialty registrar, Oxford University Hospital.  Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol.This episode was produced and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

"Could this presenting syndrome be caused by a neurotoxin?" Oftentimes neurologists will pass over toxins when diagnosing. Yet disease caused by neurotoxins is widespread, with many having quite typical syndromes.  In the studio to discuss this is the first author of the October 2024 Editors' Choice paper, Dr. Frederick Vonberg¹. He draws attention to some hobbies and occupations to watch out for, the global prevalence of lead poisoning, presentations of botulism, and the origin of the infamous Mad Hatter syndrome.  Read the paper: Neurotoxicology: a clinical systems-based review 1. National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest episodes. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. This episode was hosted by PN's podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell. Production by Letícia Amorim, Brian O'Toole, and Amy Ross Russell. Editing by Brian O'Toole.

The surgical sieve and Occam's razor may sound like familiar diagnostic metaphors, but what about Crabtree's bludgeon? These are just a few of the tools touched on by journal editors Prof. Philip Smith and Dr. Geraint Fuller, as they discuss the October 2024 issue of Practical Neurology. They cover recent publications on oligoclonal bands, neurotoxicology, methotrexate, carotid artery disease, epilepsy surgery, and how unsolved cases remain part of the "art of neurology". To finish, there is a conversation on the topic of neurology podcasts themselves.  Read the issue: https://pn.bmj.com/content/24/5   Further reading: The BMJ - What Three Wise Men have to say about diagnosis JNNP - Neurotoxicology: what the neurologist needs to know   Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production by Letícia Amorim and Brian O'Toole. Editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

This month's cases both feature sudden onset neurological syndromes. The first case (1:23) is that of a 26-yo Brazilian man who awoke from sleep with weakness in all four limbs. The signs suggest a possibility of Guillain-Barré syndrome or polio. A normal cranial nerve examination follows, with no unusual findings - https://pn.bmj.com/content/24/4/342  A 69-yo woman is the subject of the second case (14:33), after she presents with sudden onset unsteadiness and slurred speech when getting out of bed. A stroke was initially examined for by CT head scan, proving unremarkable, but a subsequent MRI scan showed an intense midbrain lesion. The patient subsequently improved, but then returned three months later with occurrences of the same symptoms multiple times throughout the day - https://pn.bmj.com/content/24/4/310 The case reports discussion is hosted by Prof. Martin Turner (1), who is joined by Dr. Ruth Wood (2) and Dr. Xin You Tai (3) for a group examination of the features of each presentation, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how the diagnosis was made. These case reports and many others can be found in the August 2024 issue of the journal. (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Neurology Registrar, University Hospitals Sussex.(3) Clinical Academic Fellow, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, and Neurology Specialty registrar, Oxford University Hospital. Listen to the JNNP podcast, "Nutritional peripheral neuropathies, with Dr. Alexander Rossor" on Apple (https://apple.co/3WjTmrM), Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4bKOhNA), Web (https://bit.ly/4cYhx4m). Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol.This episode was produced and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Genetic testing is a useful tool for any practising neurologist, but they must know how to interpret the results. This Editors' Choice podcast features two experts on the subject, Prof. Mary Reilly¹ and Dr. Christopher Record¹. They're in the studio to talk through their paper, covering the technology of genome sequencing itself, testing strategies, clinical use cases, and the constant changes in this developing field. Read the paper: Lessons and pitfalls of whole genome sequencing 1. Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest episodes. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. This episode was hosted by PN's podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell. Production by Letícia Amorim, Brian O'Toole, and Amy Ross Russell. Editing by Brian O'Toole.

Journal editors Prof. Philip Smith and Dr. Geraint Fuller discuss the August 2024 issue of Practical Neurology, with room for mystery, history and practical advice. In particular, they cover topics like whole genome sequencing, foot surgery for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, safe prescribing in steroids, and fertility treatment for the epileptic. There are also good reasons for dusting off the old optokinetic nystagmus drum, and a touching story of neuro palliative care. Read the Highlights - https://pn.bmj.com/content/24/4/261 - and the full issue - https://pn.bmj.com/content/24/4. Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Two highly unusual cases in this edition of Case Reports. The first case describes a 64-yo woman presenting to the emergency department with a five day history of bizarre behaviours (1:45). A BBC radio show prompts her, out of character, to reflect aloud about her childhood, and she experiences recurrent periods of unresponsiveness followed by intense agitation. She was kept in hospital for scans and discharged after two weeks, but returned soon after with a similar presentation - (link) A lifetime bodybuilder is the patient in the second case (21:12), with a practice of anabolic steroid injection over several decades. He presents with a three year history of unsteadiness when walking and tingling in his feet, as well as reduced dexterity. His symptoms are found to be brought on by a toxicity from an unexpected source - (link) The case reports discussion is hosted by Prof. Martin Turner (1), who is joined by Dr. Ruth Wood (2) and Dr. Xin You Tai (3) for a group examination of the features of each presentation, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how the diagnosis was made. These case reports and many others can be found in the June 2024 issue of the journal. (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Neurology Registrar, University Hospitals Sussex.(3) Clinical Academic Fellow, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, and Neurology Specialty registrar, Oxford University Hospital. Listen to the JNNP podcast, "Nutritional peripheral neuropathies, with Dr. Alexander Rossor" on Apple (https://apple.co/3WjTmrM), Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4bKOhNA), Web (https://bit.ly/4cYhx4m). Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol.This episode was produced and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Neurodegenerative disease is the subject of this month's Editors' Choice podcast, with Dr. Patrick Cullinane¹ and Dr. Zane Jaunmuktane.¹ They join the podcast for an overview of brain examination, explaining the process of protein misfolding, the spread of pathology through the brain, and what new discoveries can tell us about old diseases. Read the paper: Pathology of neurodegenerative disease for the general neurologistSpecial thanks to The Podcast Studios Dublin for their assistance with the recording of this episode. 1. Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UKPlease subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest episodes. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. This episode was hosted by PN's podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell. Production by Letícia Amorim, Brian O'Toole, and Amy Ross Russell. Editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Journal editors Prof. Philip Smith and Dr. Geraint Fuller discuss the June 2024 issue of Practical Neurology, covering some of the interesting articles published this month. A number of difficult challenges and tradeoffs are featured, relating to recent men-only guidance for sodium valproate use, folic acid dosing for women with epilepsy, post-mortem brain donation, and sexual dysfunction caused by neurological medication. There is also some insight into the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy and congenital myasthenia. Read the issue: https://pn.bmj.com/content/24/3 Further reading: Cancer Risk in Children of Mothers With Epilepsy and High-Dose Folic Acid Use During Pregnancy. Vegrim HM, Dreier JW, Alvestad S, et al. JAMA Neurol. 2022;79(11):1130–1138. Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

The first of this episode's two case reports features a 62-yo man, referred from ophthalmology with a drooping eyelid, chronic coughing, and excess sweating in the face provoked by eating (1:21). An MR scan finds abnormal deposits in his brain - (link) The second report describes two patients (17:05), firstly a 70-yo man presenting with abnormal facial movements and weight loss, and secondly a 90-yo woman with abnormal movements of her right arm and leg. Routine blood tests at presentation for both patients were normal at presentation - (link)The case reports discussion is hosted by Prof. Martin Turner (1), who is joined by Dr. Ruth Wood (2) and Dr. Xin You Tai (3) for a group examination of the features of each presentation, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how the diagnosis was made. These case reports and many others can be found in the April 2024 issue of the journal.(1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Neurology Registrar, University Hospitals Sussex.(3) Clinical Academic Fellow, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, and Neurology Specialty registrar, Oxford University Hospital. Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol.The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

The first multidisciplinary consensus guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) has recently been published by the UK SIH Specialist Interest Group. Group members Prof. Manjit Matharu (1), Dr. Indran Davagnanam (2), and Mr. Parag Sayal (3) join Dr. Amy Ross Russell to explain their recommendations. They discuss the impact this condition has on patients, the possible presentations, and approaches for diagnosis and treatment.   Read the article: Spontaneous intracranial hypotension   (1) Department of Brain Repair and Rehabilitation, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK(2) Lysholm Department of Neuroradiology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK(3) Victor Horsley Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UKPlease subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Journal editors Prof. Philip Smith and Dr. Geraint Fuller discuss the April 2024 issue of Practical Neurology, covering some of the interesting articles published this month. Topics include inconsistencies observed in functional gait, the consequences of restrictive diets with reduced riboflavin, and a guideline to managing patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension. In syndromic sightings there's a scattering of Ehlers-Danlos, Strachan and Alzheimer's to name but a few. Plus, some correspondence shedding light on the meaning behind an oversized comb - or was it an extreme brush? Read the issue: https://pn.bmj.com/content/24/2 Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

The first case for this issue's discussion is one of a young man with a history of involuntary jerks and photosensitivity (1:20). Several more seizures followed his initial presentation with a general tonic-clonic seizure. A number of examinations were done including an MR scan and EEG - (link) Case two involves a 69-yo woman who developed non-convulsive status epilepticus, having been examined as a gastroenterology inpatient for abdominal pain (22:20). A positive PCR for Whipple’s disease in stools and saliva, but negative in the CSF, prompted further testing - (link) The case reports discussion is hosted by Prof. Martin Turner (1), who is joined by Dr. Ruth Wood (2) and Dr. Xin You Tai (3) for a group examination of the features of each presentation, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how the diagnosis was made. These case reports and many others can be found in the February 2024 issue of the journal. Further reading: Panegyres PK. Diagnosis and management of Whipple’s disease of the brain. Practical Neurology 2008;8:311-317.   Association of British Neurologists. Rare Diseases Ascertainment and Recruitment (RaDAR).   (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Neurology Registrar, University Hospitals Sussex.(3) Clinical Academic Fellow, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, and Neurology Specialty registrar, Oxford University Hospital. Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol.The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Neurophysiologists may "lock ourselves away in rooms looking at screens with wiggly lines on", but what are the applications in a clinical context for electroencephalography (EEG)? In this deep-dive episode, podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell is joined by Dr. Nick Kane (1), an author of the Editors' Choice for the Feb 2024 issue, "Electroencephalography in encephalopathy and encephalitis". They discuss the strategy of serial EEGs in epilepsy diagnosis, neuroinflammation in both autoimmune and COVID19 cases, prognostication for coma patients, and how automated AI systems may be integrated into ICU monitoring.  Further reading: Tveit J, Aurlien H, Plis S, et al. Automated Interpretation of Clinical Electroencephalograms Using Artificial Intelligence. JAMA Neurol. 2023;80(8):805–812. L.J.W. Canham et al. Electroencephalographic (EEG) features of encephalopathy in the setting of Covid-19: a case series. Clin Neurophysiol Pract (2020)   (1) Grey Walter Dept of Clinical Neurophysiology, North Bristol NHS Trust, Westbury on Trym, UK   Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Journal editors Prof. Philip Smith and Dr. Geraint Fuller discuss the February 2024 issue of Practical Neurology, covering some of the interesting articles published this month. The papers discussed touch on the use of electroencephalography (EEG) for encephalopathies, neurologists' role in the integration of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in treatment, key signs to look for in walking patients, and how rising temperatures due to climate change may affect our brains. The final topic of conversation is book clubs, including a cunning tip for boosting your attendance figures. Read the issue: https://pn.bmj.com/content/24/1 Further listening: Climate change and the brain, with Prof. Sanjay Sisodiya Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

In the first case this episode, a 69-yo woman has developed severe pain around her right eye with blurring to the vision on that side (1:08), which prompts use of a "rediscovered" treatment technique by the ophthalmology department - (https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/6/527). The second case (15:23) is that of a 45-yo man with progressive pain in his lower limbs, hyperaesthesia and then weakness, who was initially diagnosed with meralgia paraesthetica by tele-medicine examination - (https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/6/516). The case reports discussion is hosted by Prof. Martin Turner (1), who is joined by Dr. Ruth Wood (2) and Dr. Xin You Tai (3), for a group examination of the features of each presentation, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how the diagnosis was made. These case reports and many others can be found in the December 2023 issue of the journal. (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Neurology Registrar, University Hospitals Sussex.(3) Clinical Academic Fellow, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, and Neurology Specialty registrar, Oxford University Hospital. Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol.The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

With artificial intelligence (AI) being declared the solution to many of the challenges faced in our personal and professional lives, Prof. James Teo (1) joins the podcast to set us straight on where AI tools fit into neurological practice. This discussion follows the publication of the December 2023 Editors' Choice paper, "Artificial intelligence (AI) for neurologists: do digital neurones dream of electric sheep?" (https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/6/476) (1) Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. The PN Editors' Choice podcast is hosted by Dr. Amy Ross Russell, and produced and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

In this extra episode of the PN podcast, recorded to coincide with the COP28 summit, podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross-Russell (1) speaks to Prof. Sanjay Sisodiya (2) about his paper, "The hot brain: Practical climate change advice for neurologists". They discuss the role that neurologists have to play in treating and guiding patients as they find themselves exposed to shifts in their habitual climate. Read the paper: https://pn.bmj.com/content/early/2023/11/10/pn-2023-003777 (1) Neurology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK(2) Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Practical Neurology Editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller talk you through the highlights of the December 2023 issue of the journal - https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/6/461  Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol.The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole.Thank you for listening.

Prof. Martin Turner (1) hosts Dr. Ruth Wood (2) and Dr. Xin You Tai (3), as they puzzle through two Case Reports from the latest issue of the Practical Neurology journal. The first case (1:11) is one of a 27-yo man, whose initial presentation suggests a form of multiple sclerosis, but turns out to be something more rare - (https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/5/414). The second case (19:16) is that of a 59-yo woman, with a two month history of progressive confusion and gait difficulty against a background of schizophrenia - (https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/5/453).  Additional reading: Practical approach to the diagnosis of adult-onset leukodystrophies: an updated guide in the genomic era -  https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/90/5/543 (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Neurology Registrar, University Hospitals Sussex.(3) Clinical Academic Fellow, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, and Neurology Specialty registrar, Oxford University Hospital. Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4baxjsQ). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol.The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Dr. Amy Ross Russell (1) is joined by Dr. Desmond Kidd (2) to discuss the paper “Neurological involvement by Behçet’s syndrome: clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and outcome”. Read this latest Editor’s Choice paper on the Practical Neurology website (https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/5/386) and the October print issue of the journal. The paper is also discussed by the Practical Neurology editors, Dr. Phil Smith and Dr. Geraint Fuller, in their latest podcast: https://pnbmj.podbean.com/e/editors-highlights-of-the-october-2023-issue/ (1) Neurology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK (2) Behçet's Syndrome Centre of Excellence, The Royal London Hospital, London, UK (https://www.behcets.nhs.uk) Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Practical Neurology Editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller talk you through the highlights of the October 2023 issue of the journal (https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/5/365). Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month.If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole.Thank you for listening.

In the third episode of this new series of the Practical Neurology podcast, Prof. Martin Turner (1) hosts Dr. Ruth Wood (2) and Dr. Xin You Tai (3) in a discussion of two Case Reports from the latest issue of the Practical Neurology journal. The first case (0:36) is one of a 78-yo man with variable slurring speech and swallowing difficulties - "Bilateral hypertrophic olivary degeneration in symptomatic palatal tremor" (https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/4/346). The second case (19:21) is a first-person report from the "Me and My Neurological Illness" section, with a 56-yo man living with Parkinson's getting into difficulty while swimming in open water - "Near-drowning in Parkinson’s disease: common or uncommon?" (https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/4/354). (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Neurology Registrar, University Hospitals Sussex.(3) Clinical Academic Fellow, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, and Neurology Specialty registrar, Oxford University Hospital. Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol.The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Dr. Amy Ross Russell (1) is joined by the authors of the paper “First-line immunosuppression in neuromuscular diseases”, Dr Michael Foster, Prof Michael Lunn, Dr Aisling Carr (2). Read this latest Editor’s Choice paper on the Practical Neurology website (https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/4/327) and the August print issue of the journal. The paper is also discussed by the Practical Neurology editors, Dr. Phil Smith and Dr. Geraint Fuller, in their latest podcast: https://pnbmj.podbean.com/e/editors-highlights-of-the-august-2023-issue/ (1) Neurology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK (2) UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, London, UK Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Practical Neurology Editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller talk you through the highlights of the August 2023 issue of the journal (https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/4/269). Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month.If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole.Thank you for listening.

In the second episode of this new series of the Practical Neurology podcast, Prof. Martin Turner (1) hosts Dr. Ruth Wood (2) and Dr. Xin You Tai (3) as they delve into two Case Reports from the latest issue of the Practical Neurology journal. First up this month (0:42) is a young man, presumed suffering from a drug overdose, with symptoms of transient global amnesia. This case is determined to be an example of "Cerebellar Hippocampal and Basal Nuclei Transient Edema with Restricted diffusion (CHANTER) Syndrome" (https://pn.bmj.com/content/early/2023/04/17/pn-2023-003724). Next (13:07) is a young woman with urinary retention and leg paraesthesia over multiple days. Investigations showed this to be "Conus medullaris syndrome as a presenting feature of MOG-associated disease" (https://pn.bmj.com/content/early/2023/01/13/pn-2022-003560).(1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital.(2) Neurology Registrar, University Hospitals Sussex.(3) Clinical Academic Fellow, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, and Neurology Specialty registrar, Oxford University Hospital.Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053).    The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Dr. Amy Ross Russell (1) is joined by the authors of "Multiple system atrophy", a review recently published in Practical Neurology. The guests, Dr. Yee Yen Goh (2), and Dr. Viorica Chelban (2), detail the effects of this condition, describe its detection, and provide information on the support that patients can receive.  Read this latest Editor’s Choice paper on the Practical Neurology website (https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/3/208) and the June print issue of the journal. The paper is also discussed by the Practical Neurology editors, Dr. Phil Smith and Dr. Geraint Fuller, in their latest podcast: https://pnbmj.podbean.com/e/editors-highlights-of-the-june-2023-issue/  (1) Neurology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK (2) UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Practical Neurology Editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller talk you through the highlights of the June 2023 issue of the journal (https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/3). Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month.If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole.Thank you for listening.

In this new series of the Practical Neurology podcast, Professor Martin Turner (1) invites Dr Ruth Wood (2) and Dr Xin You Tai (3) to discuss the nitty-gritty details of two Case Reports from the latest issue of the Practical Neurology journal. This month, they start by commenting on a case of a woman in her 70s with renal failure who developed confusion and seizures after receiving aciclovir, and was subsequently diagnosed with aciclovir-induced neurotoxicity (Aciclovir-induced neurotoxicity - https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/2/157). They also talk (starting at 23:05) about an unusual case of an acute posterior spinal artery syndrome in a man in his 60s with vascular risk factors (Posterior spinal artery infarct - https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/2/160). (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital. (2) Neurology Registrar, University Hospitals Sussex. (3) Clinical Academic Fellow, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, and Neurology Specialty registrar, Oxford University Hospital. Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Dr. Amy Ross Russell(1) is joined by a selection of the authors of "Toxic neuropathies; a practical approach", a review recently published in Practical Neurology. The guests, Dr. Duncan Smyth(2), Dr. Aisling Carr(3) and Prof. Michael Lunn(3), explain the background to these conditions and describe approaches to treatment and care of toxic neuropathy patients. Read this latest Editor’s Choice paper on the Practical Neurology website (https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/2/120) and the April print issue of the journal. The paper is also discussed by Practical Neurology editors, Dr. Phil Smith and Dr. Geraint Fuller, in their latest podcast: https://soundcloud.com/bmjpodcasts/editors-highlights-of-the-april-2023-issue?in=bmjpodcasts/sets/pn-podcast (1) Neurology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK (2) Dept. of Neurology, Wellington Hospital, Wellington, NZ (3) MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, National Hospital for Neurology, University College London Hospitals, UK Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Practical Neurology Editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller talk you through the highlights of the April 2023 issue of the journal (https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/2/103). Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Dr. Amy Ross Russell(1) discusses a recently published review by Dr. Christopher Carswell(2) on the historical context of normal pressure hydrocephalus, the challenges faced when dealing with patients, and the current state of clinical evidence for diagnosis and treatment. Read this latest Editor’s Choice paper on the Practical Neurology website (https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/1/15) and the February print issue of the journal. The paper is also discussed by Practical Neurology editors, Dr. Phil Smith and Dr. Geraint Fuller, in their latest podcast: https://soundcloud.com/bmjpodcasts/editors-highlights-of-the-february-2023-issue?in=bmjpodcasts/sets/pn-podcast (1) Neurology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK (2) Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Practical Neurology Editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller talk you through the highlights of the February 2023 issue of the journal (https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/1/1). Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Dr. Amy Ross Russell(1) discusses a recently published review by Dr. Jeremy Rees(2) and Dr. Michael Kosmin(3) on the subject of radiation therapy on the brain, the history and motivation of its use, and its benefits and limitations. Read this latest Editor’s Choice paper on the Practical Neurology website (https://pn.bmj.com/content/22/6/450) and the December print issue of the journal. The paper is also discussed by Practical Neurology editors, Dr. Phil Smith and Dr. Geraint Fuller, in their latest podcast: https://soundcloud.com/bmjpodcasts/editors-highlights-of-the-december-2022-issue?in=bmjpodcasts/sets/pn-podcast (1) Neurology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK (2) Neurology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK (3) Clinical Oncology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Practical Neurology Editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller talk you through the highlights of the December 2022 issue of the journal (https://pn.bmj.com/content/22/6/445). Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Dr. Amy Ross Russell(1), interviews Dr. Jon Walters(2) about his recent review of approaches to weakness in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Read this latest Editor’s Choice paper on the Practical Neurology website (https://pn.bmj.com/content/22/5/358) and the October print issue of the journal. The paper is also discussed by Practical Neurology editors, Dr. Phil Smith and Dr. Geraint Fuller, in their latest podcast: https://soundcloud.com/bmjpodcasts/editors-highlights-of-the-october-2022-issue?in=bmjpodcasts/sets/pn-podcast (1) Neurology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK (2) Consultant Neurologist, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, UK Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Practical Neurology Editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller talk you through the highlights of the October 2022 issue of the journal. Read the highlights: https://pn.bmj.com/content/22/5/341. Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Dr. Amy Ross Russell(1), interviews Dr. Stephen Kirker(2) about his recent paper detailing the use of appropriate orthoses for patients with weakness or abnormal posture of their lower leg, and they discuss the sorts of problems that can be helped in neurological practice and the range of devices commonly used. Read the latest Editor’s Choice paper on the Practical Neurology website (https://pn.bmj.com/content/22/4/311) and the August print issue of the journal. The paper is also discussed by Practical Neurology editors, Dr. Phil Smith and Dr. Geraint Fuller, in their latest podcast: https://soundcloud.com/bmjpodcasts/editors-highlights-of-the-august-2022-issue (1) Neurology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK (2) Rehab Medicine Department, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). The Practical Neurology podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Practical Neurology Editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller talk you through the highlights of the August 2022 issue of the journal. Read more on the PN website: https://pn.bmj.com/content/22/4/261 The full issue here: https://pn.bmj.com/content/22/4 Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Dr. Amy Ross Russell(1), interviews Assoc. Prof. Todd Hardy(2) and Dr. James Triplett(3), about their recent paper detailing the clinical approach to diagnosis and management of Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES). Read this latest Editor’s Choice paper on the Practical Neurology website (https://pn.bmj.com/content/22/3/183) and the June print issue of the journal. The paper is also discussed by Practical Neurology editors, Dr. Phil Smith and Dr. Geraint Fuller, in their latest podcast: https://soundcloud.com/bmjpodcasts/editors-highlights-of-the-june-2022-issue?in=bmjpodcasts/sets/pn-podcast (1) Neurology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK (2) Staff Specialist Neurologist at Concord Hospital, Clinical Associate Professor in Medicine at the University of Sydney, Australia (3) Staff Specialist Neurologist and Neurophysiologist, Concord Hospital, Sydney, Australia Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). The PN podcast is produced by Letícia Amorim and edited by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Practical Neurology Editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller talk you through the highlights of the June 2022 issue of the journal. Read more on the PN website: https://pn.bmj.com/content/22/3/175 The full issue here: https://pn.bmj.com/content/22/3 Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). Thank you for listening.

Dr Amy Ross Russell, Neurology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, interviews Dr William Diprose, Dept. of Neurology, Auckland City Hospital and Dept. of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, University of Auckland, New Zealand; Dr Anthony Jordan, Dept. of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Auckland City Hospital, NZ; and Dr Neil Anderson, Dept. of Neurology, Auckland City Hospital, NZ about their recent paper reviewing the neurological features of specific autoinflammatory syndromes. Read this latest Editor’s Choice paper on the Practical Neurology website (https://pn.bmj.com/content/22/2/145) and the April print issue of the journal. The paper is also discussed by Practical Neurology editors, Dr Phil Smith and Dr Geraint Fuller, in their latest podcast: https://soundcloud.com/bmjpodcasts/pn-april-2022-highlights?in=bmjpodcasts/sets/pn-podcast Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). Thank you for listening.

Practical Neurology Editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller talk you through the highlights of the April 2022 issue of the journal. Read more on the PN website: https://pn.bmj.com/content/22/2/93 The full issue here: https://pn.bmj.com/content/22/2 Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). Thank you for listening.

Dr Amy Ross Russell, Neurology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, interviews Dr Sophie Binks and Professor Sarosh Irani, from the Oxford Autoimmune Neurology Group, about their recent paper about a practical approach to diagnosis and management of paraneoplastic neurological syndromes. Read the latest Editor’s Choice paper on the Practical Neurology website (https://pn.bmj.com/content/22/1/19) and the February print issue of the journal. The paper is also discussed by Practical Neurology editors, Dr Phil Smith and Dr Geraint Fuller, in their latest podcast: https://soundcloud.com/bmjpodcasts/editors-highlights-of-the-february-2022-issue?in=bmjpodcasts/sets/pn-podcast Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). Thank you for listening.

Practical Neurology Editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller talk you through the highlights of the February 2022 issue of the journal. Read more on the PN website: https://pn.bmj.com/content/22/1/1 The full issue here: https://pn.bmj.com/content/22/1 Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). Thank you for listening.

Dr Amy Ross Russell, Neurology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, interviews Dr Fahmida Chowdhury and Dr Matthew Walker, both from the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, about their recent paper, summarising the current literature on localisation in focal epilepsies using illustrative cases and discussing possible pitfalls in localisation. Read the paper on the Practical Neurology website (https://pn.bmj.com/content/21/6/481) and the December print issue of the journal. The paper is also discussed by Practical Neurology editors, Dr Phil Smith and Dr Geraint Fuller, in their latest podcast: https://soundcloud.com/bmjpodcasts/editors-highlights-december-2021-issue?in=bmjpodcasts/sets/pn-podcast Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). Thank you for listening.

Practical Neurology Editors Phil Smith and Geraint Fuller talk you through the highlights of the October issue of the journal. Read more on the PN website: https://pn.bmj.com/content/21/6/463. The full issue here: https://pn.bmj.com/content/21/6 Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast via all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify, to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider leaving us a review or a comment on the Practical Neurology Podcast iTunes page (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pn-podcast/id942932053). Thank you for listening.

‘Query encephalitis’ is a common neurological consultation in hospitalised patients. Identifying the syndrome is only part of the puzzle. Although historically encephalitis has been almost synonymous with infection, we increasingly recognise parainfectious or postinfectious as well as other immune-mediated causes. Encephalitis must also be distinguished from other causes of encephalopathy, including systemic infection, metabolic derangements, toxins, inherited metabolic disorders, hypoxia, trauma and vasculopathies. The paper discussed in this podcast reviews the most important differential diagnoses (mimics) of patients presenting with an encephalitic syndrome and highlight some unusual presentations (chameleons) of infectious encephalitis. Listen to the conversation of Dr Tom Hughes, Practical Neurology Associate Editor, with Dr Nicholas Davies (Department of Neurology, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK) and read the paper on the Practical Neurology website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/practneurol-2018-002114.

A framework to guide general neurologists in the diagnostic reassessment of people with epilepsy and complex neurological problems of unknown cause is discussed in this podcast. Dr Tom Hughes, Practical Neurology Associate Editor, is joined by Dr Lina Nashef (King’s College Hospital, London, UK), the corresponding author of the paper “Investigating adults with early-onset epilepsy and intellectual or physical disability”, which also addresses imaging, electroencephalography, genetic studies and metabolic testing. Read the paper included on the Practical Neurology April issue here: ttps://pn.bmj.com/content/19/2/115.

The basic principles of B-cell depletion with therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, the available evidence for using rituximab in neurological diseases as well as prescribing advice are discussed in this podcast. Practical Neurology Associate Editor Dr Tom Hughes is joined by Dr Daniel Whittam and Dr Anu Jacob, the authors of the review paper: “Rituximab in neurological disease: principles, evidence and practice”, which is part of the Practical Neurology February issue (https://pn.bmj.com/content/19/1/5).

What do adult neurologists need to know ahead of the likely licensing of Epidiolex for epilepsy in the UK in 2019? It is quite possible that cannabidiol, currently licensed in the USA for treating rare genetic epilepsies, may open the door for the widespread legalisation of recreational cannabis. Dr Rhys Thomas (Neurologist at the Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, UK) tells fellow Practical Neurology Associate Editor Dr Tom Hughes why the arguments about who may benefit from cannabis-derived medicines have to be separate from the discussion about the legalisation of recreational cannabis. They also discuss the distinction between cannabidiol oils and the cannabidiol rigorously tested in clinical trials. Read the review on the Practical Neurology website - https://pn.bmj.com/content/early/2018/10/18/practneurol-2018-002058 - and on the journal's December 2018 issue.

Valproate is now contraindicated in pregnancy and women of child-bearing potential. The new stipulations from the Coordination Group for Mutual Recognition and Decentralised Procedures-Human (CMDh), a regulatory body representing European Union member states, about the use of valproate in women of child-bearing potential states that “Valproate should never be started unless alternative treatments are not suitable”. However, people taking this drug used to treat epilepsy should not stop valproate use abruptly, without consulting their doctor. The new regulations are discussed in this podcast by Professor Sanjay Sisodiya (UCL Institute of Neurology, London), who’s the author of a Practical Neurology editorial on this subject (http://pn.bmj.com/content/early/2018/04/19/practneurol-2018-001955). Other related articles in the Practical Neurology website: ►http://pn.bmj.com/content/early/2018/04/19/practneurol-2018-001932 ► http://pn.bmj.com/content/early/2018/04/19/practneurol-2018-001931

Professor Michael Hanna, Senior Consultant Neurologist at Queen Square, UCL, London, discusses the developments in genetics in neuromuscular diseases with Eric Hoffman, Gordon Holmes lecturer at the ABN meeting 2017, in Liverpool. Professor Eric Hoffman (Binghampton University, USA) describes in this conversation his extensive work on the rare condition of Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy. This is the last of a series of podcasts recorded at the 2017 ABN meeting, held in May, in Liverpool, UK. More on this subject on the Practical Neurology website: http://pn.bmj.com/, where you can find these particular articles as well: "Muscle disease" - http://pn.bmj.com/content/9/1/54; "Muscle diseases: mimics and chameleons" - http://pn.bmj.com/content/14/5/288.

Nodding syndrome affects children from 5 to 15 years old in some parts of the African continent. In this podcast, David Nicholl, Department of Neurology, City Hospital, Birmingham, UK, is joined by Mark Ellul, ABN fellow, University of Liverpool, UK, to discuss the latest research in this epileptic disorder. They talked at the Association of British Neurologists annual meeting, Liverpool, May 2017. http://pn.bmj.com/

Professor Andrew Schwartz (University of Pittsburgh, USA) discusses the latest progress toward high-performance neural prosthetics with Practical Neurology's editor Geraint Fuller. The subject was highlighted at the ABN annual meeting 2017, held in May, in Liverpool, UK. For more content on this topic please visit http://pn.bmj.com/.

At the ABN annual meeting 2017, David Burn interviews Kevin Talbot on the his talk on Antisense treatments in spinal muscular atrophy. The ABN Autumn Meeting took place on Wednesday 3rd May in Liverpool. For more content on this topic please visit: pn.bmj.com/

Based on the ABN's Autumn Meeting, Martin Turner interviews Matthew Wood on the his lecture Antisense treatments in neurological disease. The ABN Autumn Meeting took place on 20th October 2016 in London. For more content on this topic please visit: pn.bmj.com/

Based on the ABN's Autumn Meeting, David Nicholl interviews Mary Reilly on the her lecture Treatable Hereditary Neuropathies. The ABN Autumn Meeting took place on 20th October 2016 in London. For more content on this topic please visit: pn.bmj.com/

Based on the ABN's Autumn Meeting, David Nicholl interviews Mark Edwards on his lecture Functional Movement Disorders - Phenomenology and Management. The ABN Autumn Meeting took place on 20th October 2016 in London. Recommended articles on this topic include: Explaining functional disorders in the neurology clinic: a photo story Alan Carson, Alexander Lehn, Lea Ludwig, Jon Stone pn.bmj.com/content/16/1/56 Functional neurological symptoms: welcome to the new normal Mark J Edwards pn.bmj.com/content/16/1/2 Functional neurological disorders: the neurological assessment as treatment Jon Stone http://pn.bmj.com/content/16/1/7

Based on the ABN's Autumn Meeting debate, Ralph Gregory interviews Neil Robertson on the subject of MS and stem cells and whether they're hope or hype. The ABN Autumn Meeting took place on 20th October 2016 in London. For more content on this topic please visit: http://pn.bmj.com/