Practical Neurology Podcast

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• Drug-induced seizures, limb-shaking, and holistic myasthenia treatment - Editors' Highlights June 2026 28.05.2026 43min

  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. 
• Perplexing keladophilia and post-surgical symptoms - Case Reports April 2026 13.05.2026 37min

  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.
• Radiologically isolated syndrome: managing the preclinical phase of MS 22.04.2026 30min

  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.
• Bone health in Neurology: managing the fracture risk 27.03.2026 32min

  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. 
• Head knocks in athletes, the clock drawing test, and generic medications - Editors' Highlights April 2026 17.03.2026 41min

  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. 
• Recurring migraine, and unintentional weight loss - Case Reports February 2026 03.03.2026 38min

  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.
• A face in the hedge: Dementia with Lewy bodies 10.02.2026 55min

  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.
• Mind the gap, passage hallucinations, and conducting on cue - Editors' Highlights February 2026 27.01.2026 47min

  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. 
• The eye as a snowglobe: Uveitis for neurologists 14.01.2026 41min

  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. 
• Unusual emboli, and software versus hardware - Case Reports December 2025 16.12.2025 41min

  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.
• Drugs of misuse: a contemporary guide 28.11.2025 59min

  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. 
• Prudent scanning, masquerade syndromes, and spotting the tadpole - Editors' Highlights December 2025 15.11.2025 42min

  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. 
• Unihemispheric atrophy, and a culinary culprit - Case Reports Oct 2025 23.10.2025 43min

  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.
• Rethinking Myasthenia Gravis: A global perspective on ABN's latest guidelines 07.10.2025 45min

  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. 
• The birdsong of the brain, cognitive flexibility, and a guideline update - Editors' Highlights October 2025 18.09.2025 42min

  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.
• Dangers from the deep, and prolonged pituitary inflammation - Case Reports August 2025 08.09.2025 36min

  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.
• Health anxiety: patient paradoxes and successful treatment 14.08.2025 46min

  "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. 
• Electrolyte abnormalities, unhelpful reassurance, and the essence of tremor - Editors' Highlights August 2025 24.07.2025 42min

  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. 
• An international approach to the use of immunoglobulin 11.07.2025 39min

  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. 
• The risks of "bariatric tourism", and photophobia with a pustular rash - Case Reports June 2025 27.06.2025 42min

  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.