Podcast · Health

Practical Neurology Podcast

by BMJ Group · English · Health

The Practical Neurology Podcast is the essential guide for the everyday life of all neurologists. Just like our journal Practical Neurology, this podcast is useful for everyone who sees neurological patients and who wants to keep up-to-date and safe in managing them. In other words, this is a podcas

New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 43 min
Latest: 29 Sep 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

29 Sep 2026 · 52 min

Adoptive immunotherapy, updated MS criteria, and misleading meters - Editors' Highlights October 2026

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.…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

E132 · 16 Sep 2026 · 45 min
Mystifying malabsorption, and brain stem syndromes - Case Reports August 2026
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…
E131 · 26 Aug 2026 · 51 min
Mapping the blindspot: papilloedema for neurologists
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…
E130 · 25 Jul 2026 · 46 min
Papilloedema, Parkinson's follow-up, and subhairline EEG - Editors' Highlights August 2026
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…
E129 · 6 Jul 2026 · 31 min
Refractory epilepsy surgery, and the paradox of autoimmune encephalitis - live from the ABN Meeting 2026
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…
E128 · 11 Jun 2026 · 55 min
Not all insomnia is insomnia: a guide to sleep neurology
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…
E127 · 28 May 2026 · 44 min
Drug-induced seizures, limb-shaking, and holistic myasthenia treatment - Editors' Highlights June 2026
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…
E126 · 13 May 2026 · 38 min
Perplexing keladophilia and post-surgical symptoms - Case Reports April 2026
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…
E125 · 22 Apr 2026 · 31 min
Radiologically isolated syndrome: managing the preclinical phase of MS
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…
E124 · 27 Mar 2026 · 33 min
Bone health in Neurology: managing the fracture risk
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…
E123 · 17 Mar 2026 · 41 min
Head knocks in athletes, the clock drawing test, and generic medications - Editors' Highlights April 2026
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…
E122 · 3 Mar 2026 · 39 min
Recurring migraine, and unintentional weight loss - Case Reports February 2026
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…
E121 · 10 Feb 2026 · 55 min
A face in the hedge: Dementia with Lewy bodies
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…
E120 · 27 Jan 2026 · 47 min
Mind the gap, passage hallucinations, and conducting on cue - Editors' Highlights February 2026
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…
E119 · 14 Jan 2026 · 41 min
The eye as a snowglobe: Uveitis for neurologists
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…
E118 · 16 Dec 2025 · 41 min
Unusual emboli, and software versus hardware - Case Reports December 2025
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…
E117 · 28 Nov 2025 · 1 hr
Drugs of misuse: a contemporary guide
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…
E116 · 15 Nov 2025 · 42 min
Prudent scanning, masquerade syndromes, and spotting the tadpole - Editors' Highlights December 2025
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…
E115 · 23 Oct 2025 · 43 min
Unihemispheric atrophy, and a culinary culprit - Case Reports Oct 2025
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…
E113 · 7 Oct 2025 · 46 min
Rethinking Myasthenia Gravis: A global perspective on ABN's latest guidelines
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…
E112 · 17 Sep 2025 · 43 min
The birdsong of the brain, cognitive flexibility, and a guideline update - Editors' Highlights October 2025
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…
E111 · 8 Sep 2025 · 37 min
Dangers from the deep, and prolonged pituitary inflammation - Case Reports August 2025
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…
E110 · 14 Aug 2025 · 47 min
Health anxiety: patient paradoxes and successful treatment
"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)…
E109 · 24 Jul 2025 · 43 min
Electrolyte abnormalities, unhelpful reassurance, and the essence of tremor - Editors' Highlights August 2025
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…
E108 · 11 Jul 2025 · 39 min
An international approach to the use of immunoglobulin
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…
E107 · 27 Jun 2025 · 42 min
The risks of "bariatric tourism", and photophobia with a pustular rash - Case Reports June 2025
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…
E106 · 6 Jun 2025 · 33 min
New, complicated and evolving: IgG4-related disease
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…
E105 · 16 May 2025 · 55 min
Nutritional perils, the immunoglobulin paradox, and a flickering candle - Editors' Highlights June 2025
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…
E104 · 6 May 2025 · 37 min
Fragmented sleep with delusions of theft, and falls after eye shingles - Case Reports April 2025
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…
E103 · 17 Apr 2025 · 58 min
How do new cancer drugs affect our brains? A practical guide to immune checkpoint inhibitors
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:…

About Practical Neurology Podcast

Practical Neurology Podcast is a English health podcast from BMJ Group. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: BMJ Group
Language: English
Category: Health
New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 43 min
Latest episode: 29 Sep 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id942932053

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