Practical Neurology Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

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.

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.